POLITICSNIGERIA.COM

A member of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Justice Sheriff Hafizu has said there was a preponderance of evidence to prove that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio was robbed of victory in the February 23 National Assembly election.

Justice Hafizu in a split judgement on September 11, 2019, held that it was his view that Senator Akpabio overwhelmingly won the election and ought to have been returned as the duly elected Senator for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.

Engr Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was declared winner of the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Senator Akpabio had challenged Ekpenyong's declaration at the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom citing unlawful cancellation of his collated votes by INEC to give his opponent an edge in the election.

Delivering judgement on the petition Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice W. O. Akanbi with the concurrence of Justice Ebetu dismissed the petition and upheld the declaration of Engr Ekpenyong as the winner of the February 23 National Assembly elections into Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.

However, in his dissenting judgement, Justice Hafizu held that the contention of the Respondents that Senator Akpabio ought to have called unit polling agents to prove his case was wrong since Akpabio had not challenged the results of the units and therefore there was nothing to prove.

According to Justice Hafizu, the case of Senator Akpabio centred on cancellation of duly collated votes at INEC office which went beyond the units. He cited the case of Dr William who had admitted during trial that Senator Akpabio's votes were altered in INEC office in Uyo on the instructions of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Mike Igini and said such alterations were unlawful.

He said he found merit in the Petitioner's case that his collated votes which showed that he won the election was surreptitiously and unilaterally cancelled by an INEC official so as to hand over victory to Engr Ekpenyong.

Justice Hafizu also held that from the evidence adduced during the trial it was obvious that the Returning Officer had cancelled the votes of Obot Akara Local Government Area due to an established case of over-voting and said it was wrong for the same cancelled result to be revalidated in INEC office in Uyo.

The Minority Judge held that the Witnesses paraded by the Respondents were unreliable as they gave contradictory evidence during trial. He cited cases of witnesses who had alleged that they were abducted by APC thugs and forced to thumbprint for the party only for card reader reports to put a lie to such claim, a contention that the majority judgement glossed over.

According to Justice Hafizu, INEC was wrong to have cancelled the 61,329 votes garnered by APC in Essien Udim Local Government Area against PDP score of 9,050 votes. He said the unlawful cancellation of the votes was a clear case of robbery since it did not follow the due process of INEC guidelines.

The majority judgement also glossed over evidence that was given in the case including certified true copies of results released by INEC which were tendered by the Petitioners. It also remained mute on the Police reports that the elections were free, fair and credible.

Accordingly, Justice Hafizu voided the declaration of Engr Ekpenyong as the winner of the election and declared his return invalid. He also declared Senator Akpabio as the winner of the election having garnered majority of the lawful votes and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to present a certificate of return to Senator Akpabio as the duly elected Senator of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.

Attendees and lawyers at the Tribunal openly applauded the judgement of Justice Hafizu, describing it as sound and bound to stand the test of time and devoid of any pecuniary consideration but justice delivery. Supporters of Senator Akpabio jubilated and congratulated themselves on the minority judgement.

Counsel to Senator Akpabio, Mr Adekunle Oyesanya, SAN praised Justice Hafizu for his courage in giving the dissenting judges represented the position of the law.

It would be recalled that a lawyer and human right activist, Barrister Leo Ekpenyong had raised an alarm penultimate week in a widely published article: "Judgement for sale" alleged that two members of the National Assembly elections petition tribunal in Akwa Ibom State had been compromised predicting that there would be a split in the judgement the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District matter.

https://politicsnigeria.com/breaking-how-akpabio-was-robbed-of-victory-election-tribunal-judge-opens-up-photo/

It was obvious that Akpabio was robbed.
His decamping to APC didn't go well with the government in the state which he had already fallen out of favour with.
Ekpenyong isn't a good representative at the NASS.
And Udom will give all it takes to ensure Akpabio doesn't win.
Definitely the appeal might likely go Akoabios way.
Head or tail, his still a winner.

He has weighed his options before decamping. You can't eat your cake while u still have it. But I don't think he is regretting it anyway

It is well....!

He's looted enough.

N'tor!

6

yinkus6750:
It was obvious that Akpabio was robbed.
His decamping to APC didn't go well with the government in the state which he had already fallen out of favour with.
Ekpenyong isn't a good representative at the NASS.
And Udom will give all it takes to ensure Akpabio doesn't win.
Definitely the appeal might likely go Akoabios way.
Head or tail, his still a winner.

Mtchew, na you rob am abi?

yinkus6750:
It was obvious that Akpabio was robbed.
His decamping to APC didn't go well with the government in the state which he had already fallen out of favour with.
Ekpenyong isn't a good representative at the NASS.
And Udom will give all it takes to ensure Akpabio doesn't win.
Definitely the appeal might likely go Akoabios way.
Head or tail, his still a winner.

Akpabio has an away goal.this minority judgment is more robust than the majority judgement.he will prevail at the appeal

APC is playing with our sense. They will lose in Tribunal then go and win in court of Appeal or Supreme Court. We know all these things; Nigerian Legislature, Judiciary and Executive arm of Government is under APC control. Smh

And the so called hafiz is a judge? What a shame

Nawao, for this kind of politics in nigeria

yinkus6750:
It was obvious that Akpabio was robbed.
His decamping to APC didn't go well with the government in the state which he had already fallen out of favour with.
Ekpenyong isn't a good representative at the NASS.
And Udom will give all it takes to ensure Akpabio doesn't win.
Definitely the appeal might likely go Akoabios way.
Head or tail, his still a winner.

Yea, just the way they rigged Buhari back to office. They sat down and allocated figures up north.. In fact, some figures didn't even correlate with accredited voters. Naija na joke. This country will only get worse. Me must japka. I no Do again.

Anybody who thinks Akpabio won the election, isn't truthful to his conscience. His pride and arrogance through his statements, made him to lose, not even as much as the fact that he decamped to APC.

APC judge!

udemzyudex:


Mtchew, na you rob am abi?

Two southerners ruled against akpabio while a northerner ruled im favourite.same thing happened in osun.this judgement was more solid

Ok

yinkus6750:
It was obvious that Akpabio was robbed.
His decamping to APC didn't go well with the government in the state which he had already fallen out of favour with.
Ekpenyong isn't a good representative at the NASS.
And Udom will give all it takes to ensure Akpabio doesn't win.
Definitely the appeal might likely go Akoabios way.
Head or tail, his still a winner.

Inec, police, Army, youth corp are all under the control of APC and yet the opposition manages to rig election under your nose.

My friend don't you think you give too much credit to your opposition!!

Princedapace:


Yea, just the way they rigged Buhari back to office. They sat down and allocated figures up north.. In fact, some figures didn't even correlate with accredited voters. Naija na joke. This country will only get worse. Me must japka. I no Do again.

Cant you see that evidence shows that akpabio won

Jh

Daviddson:
Anybody who thinks Akpabio won the election, isn't truthful to his conscience. His pride and arrogance through his statements, made him to lose, not even as much as the fact that he decamped to APC.

He won that polld

What sort of Mumu headline is this Instead of reporting that Akpabio lost his petition as majority of the tribunal members(2 out of 3 ) dismissed his petition.The ruling by the minority judge is made the headline!!! Seun,Lalasticlala!! please kindly correct this misleading headline

Dis nigeria wre money stop nonsense...but there something i dont understand here will he be hold to offices now..that is the ministerial an senatorial position at the same time....this is power play...
Quote me an see ur mate behind u

senatordave1:

He won that polld

oya go and swear him in.He lost his petition simple.This mischievous headline on nairaland will achieve nothing

NORSIYK:
And the so called hafiz is a judge? What a shame

Very corrupt judge.
Mike igini is the most credible INEC commissioner. Very incorruptible. I rather believe him

kirajustice:
POLITICSNIGERIA.COM

A member of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Justice Sheriff Hafizu has said there was a preponderance of evidence to prove that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio was robbed of victory in the February 23 National Assembly election.

Justice Hafizu in a split judgement on September 11, 2019, held that it was his view that Senator Akpabio overwhelmingly won the election and ought to have been returned as the duly elected Senator for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.
https://politicsnigeria.com/breaking-how-akpabio-was-robbed-of-victory-election-tribunal-judge-opens-up-photo/

Truly, Akpabio was robed by INEC Commisioner named Ogini. His judgment day is coming. However, God has compensated Akpabio with a higher position, Minister of Niger-Delta which means the Governor-General of Niger Delta.

On the contrary, no judge said Atikuchukwu came close to winning, all the five judges ruled that Atikuchukwu and his supporters must be mad to insinuate that they won the election that they never prepared for.

where is sarrki? one of the most clueless zombie on this forum

Ikot Ekpene senatorial district: Ekpenyong defeats Akpabio at tribunal

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo has upheld the victory of Senator Christopher Ekpenyong, who represents Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in the Senate, in the February 23 election.

Delivering judgment, the Chairman of the three-member panel, Justice W.O. Akanbi, held that Ekpenyong, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party was duly elected by majority votes cast during the senatorial election.

However, one out of the three judges ruled contrary to his two colleagues in the panel.

The panel through a majority decision dismissed the petition filed by Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress challenging the declaration of Ekpenyong by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the said election.

Describing the petition as “lacking merit”, the panel noted that the petitioner failed to prove that he won the said election as well as failed to present convincing evidence of noncompliance with Electoral Act as raised in his petition.

NAN reports that Akpabio had alleged that INEC, in collaboration with some PDP chieftains in the senatorial district, wrongfully declared Ekpenyong and his party, the PDP, winner of the poll, having scored 118,215 as against Akpabio’s 83,158.

He said result sheets from Akwa Ibom INEC office showed he won the election

https://punchng.com/ikot-ekpene-senatorial-district-ekpenyong-defeats-akpabio-at-tribunal/