BREAKING: Tribunal upholds Senator Akpabio’s election, Okori fined N2,500

The Akwa Ibom National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday upheld the election of the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio as the winner of the Senatorial election for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

It is ruling, the tribunal dismissed all the prayers of the petitioner, Chief Inibehe Okori of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The tribunal said the error on nomination form is not enough reason to nullify election, stating that the law expects political parties to name their candidates; hence the constituency where he/she represents is a mere detail.

The tribunal while ruling that a Party has right to sponsor candidates, said nomination of candidate is the domestic Affair of the party.

The court also said the alleged violence on election day cannot be linked to the 1st respondent (Akpabio) unless proved beyond reasonable doubts by the petitioner. The tribunal rejected print out of card reader analysis, saying it is not a document known to law.

In a unanimous verdict, the tribunal struck out Okori’s case and awarded N2,500 (two thousand five hundred Naira only) as cost to the former Governor of Akwa Ibom.

Source: connoisseur.com.ng