Appeal Court upholds election of Akwa Ibom’s Gov Umo Eno

The governorship candidates for the Action Alliance and the Accord Party in Akwa Ibom State, Akpan Jeremiah and Emem Coffie, respectively, filed challenges with the Appeal Court in Lagos challenging the election of Governor Umo Eno.

On Friday, the three-person tribunal ruled that Eno should continue to serve as governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Emem Coffie, the Accord Party’s gubernatorial nominee, appealed the tribunal’s ruling in the hopes that it would be reversed.

Kofie, through his attorney, Chidi Nwachukwu, contended that he deserved to be declared the governor as other contestants in the race were not qualified to fight the poll.

Paul Usoro, representing Governor Eno, and Kolapo Kolade and Mofesomo Oyetibo, representing INEC, all refuted the appellants’ claims that 800 polling units recorded infractions, arguing that the petitioners made no effort to identify the 800 units or to bring witnesses from any of the said polling units.

Respondents also informed the court that appellants’ single witness, governorship candidate Emem Coffie, testified that he was only in his polling unit on the day in question and returned home immediately after casting his ballot.

They maintained the appellants had relied on ‘hearsay’ in bringing their case to the tribunal, which led to the petition’s dismissal.

Akpan Abraham of the Action Alliance filed an appeal claiming that he and his party were unjustly disenfranchised by INEC.

The appeals court, however, agreed with the respondents’ arguments and ruled the lawsuit to be without merit.