There was a mild drama at the National Assembly Elections
Petition Tribunal in Akwa Ibom State when Counsel to the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) Mr. Solomon Umoh, SAN tried unsuccessfully to prevent a witness, Mr
Godwin Afangideh from reading the result from a document presented by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC.)
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The document was an exhibit presented by INEC in a petition
filed by Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
challenging the declaration of Engr Christopher Ekpenyong (PDP) as the Senator
for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
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Reading from the document given to him by Counsel to PDP,
the Witness, Mr Afangide said "My Lord
even from this document APC scored a total votes 61,329 and PDP scored
9,050 in Essien Udim Local Government Area and it is recorded here." Mr
Umoh, SAN had attempted to shout down the Witness from reading that part of the
document.
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Mr Afangide had earlier tendered results collated from Wards
across the Local Government Area as given to him by the party agents which
clearly showed that Senator Akpabio had won the election in his own Local
Government Area with a wide margin.
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The Witness expressed surprise at the voters' register
tendered in court and said it was different from the one that was used on
election day. He confirmed that he had voted along with his family
members.
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According to Mr Afangide the elections in Essien Udim Local
Government Area were very peaceful as attested to by security agencies, local
and foreign observers.
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Two Police Officers, the Area Commander, Ikot Ekpene Area
Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police,
Mr Naziru Bello Kankarofi and the Divisional Police Officer, Essien Udim
Local Government, Superintendent of Police, Mr Samuel Isiek, on subpoena
tendered situation reports on the
conduct of the National Assembly elections.
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The reports were duly admitted as exhibits despite the
initial objections of Counsel to the PDP, Mr Umoh, SAN, Counsel to the
Respondents, Chief Kanu Agabi and Counsel to INEC, Mr Robert Emukpoeruo . They
reserved their objections till final addresses.
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Another Witness, Dr Chris Akpan who was a Ward Collation
Agent told the Tribunal that the results that were declared by INEC in Uyo did
not reflect collated results from the Units and Wards of the Local Government
Area.
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Reacting to suggestions by the Counsel to INEC that results
from the Local Government Area of Senator Akpabio were cancelled because of
violence, the Witnesses expressed surprise and said they were hearing of
violence for the first time in the Tribunal.
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Senator Akpabio had so far called 14 Witnesses mostly Ward
Agents who have tendered duly collated results. Results so far tendered showed
he had led his opponent with a wide margin before INEC cancelled the results in
Uyo.
