Ekpeyong VS Akpabio: Appeal Court Orders Re-run of Akwa Ibom North-west District Poll

  • INEC had declared  Chris Ekpeyong as the winner.
  • Court orders re-election in 90 days.

The aim of the Minister of Niger Delta Commission, Godswill Akpabio to return to the senate has reignited by the latest Appeal Court ruling on Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district election.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has ordered a rerun of the election. Akpabio is contesting against Senator Chris Ekpeyong.

READ: Akwa Ibom Will Be The First State Buhari Will Win – Godswill Akpabio assures

It could be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ekpeyong, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the election. But the result was contested by Akapbio via the tribunal. The former Akwa Ibom Governor had asked the tribunal to set aside Ekpenyong’s election, alleging that it was marred by irregularities.

In a ruling by the tribunal, Akpabio’s case was thrown out describing the petition as “lacking in merit”. It ruled that the petitioner failed to prove that he won the election as well as failed to present convincing evidence of non-compliance with the electoral act as raised in his petition.

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Appealing the judgment, Akpabio got a verdict at the appellate court which ordered a rerun election in Essien Udim local government, where Akapbio hails from.

The court ruled that the rerun should hold within 90 days.

Victory for democracy

Reacting to the judgment, Akpabio described it as a victory for democracy. He gave the reaction via his Twitter page.

“Today’s Appeal Court Judgement is a victory for Democracy. Let me say that, I am grateful to God and my people for always standing by me. I will never take your support for granted,” he wrote.

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