Treason Trial: ACN Governorship Candidate Denied Bail-PM News, Lagos

The Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Senator James Akpanudoedehe, was this morning docked at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, charged with treason.

But in a dramatic move, the presiding judge, Justice Adamu Bello declined to rule on the bail application argued by his counsel who are four Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN.

The judge adjourned the matter till Thursday and ordered that Akpanudodehe be remanded in police custody.

The ACN governorship candidate was arrested and detained following the mayhem that occurred in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State last Tuesday when supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the main opposition party, the ACN clashed.

During the mayhem, 800 new vehicles and 500 tricycles were burnt. The value of the property was estimated at N2 billion.

Arguing for Akpanudoedehe’s bail application today, his counsel, Kola Awodein, Rickey Tarfa, Adeniyi Akintola and Yemi Osinbajo, all SANs, told the court that the sole intention of slamming the charge on the ACN candidate is to keep him out of circulation ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, which is also being contested by Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio of the PDP.

The defence counsel also stated that the accused is merely being persecuted because he belongs to a rival political party and that he knows nothing about the political unrest, for which he is being detained.

They also informed the court that Senator Akpanudoedehe was ill and constantly requires medication.

The legal team also argued that as a two-term elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, a former local government chairman and also a former chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Potiskum and current governorship candidate of the ACN in Akwa Ibom State, Akpanudoedehe will not jump bail if granted.

However, Justice Adamu Bello declined to rule on the bail application and adjourned the matter till Thursday.

Meanwhile, thousands of youths from Akwa Ibom State stormed Abuja to protest Akpanudoedah’s detention and trial.

The carried placards denouncing his perceived persecution

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/treason-trial-acn-governorship-candidate-denied-bail-pm-news-lagos

How can this man be held in prison when the election is close? is that not a plan for PDP in that state to happily rig the election? More Crisis await the state