S’court returns Eno as A’ibom gov, reserves judgments in C’river, Ogun appeals
THE Supreme Court has dismissed three separate appeals brought before it by aggrieved contestants, seeking nullification of election of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Bassey Eno, on account of alleged certificate forgery. The petitions were those of All Progressives Congress ( APC), Young Progressive Party ( YPP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party ( NNPP). Lead counsel to the respective parties withdrew their separate appeals following hints from the panel of justices that their complaints lacked merit.
The petitions by APC and its governorship candidate, Akanimo Udofia, YPP and its gubernatorial flag- bearer, Akpan Albert Bassey, as well as NNPP and its standardbearer, John Akpan Udoedehe, were thrown out by Justice Uwani Abba- Aji upon their withdrawal. Lawyers in the matter had attempted to convince the apex court that Emo Eno Bassey and Bassey Eno Emo were not the same person, urging it to declare the governor allegedly forged his Secondary School Certificate Examin ation ( SSCE) certificate.
Their arguments did impress the judges, who queried if the West African Examinations Council ( WAEC) gave evidence to establish the criminal allegations.
Upon admission that the examinations body did not testify in the matter, the attorneys separately withdrew their appeals.
Justice Abba- Aji, thereafter, dismissed them following no objection from lawyers to the various respondents. The court, however, did not award costs against lawyers to the appellants, ha ving voluntarily withdrawn their cases for want of merit.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos had last November af firmed Eno’s victory at the March 18, 2023 poll. The appellate court, in its judgment, dismissed three separate appeals filed against the governor’s triumph.
While affirming the September 28 ruling of the Akwa Ibom Governorship Petitions Tribunal, the three- member panel of judges, headed by Justice Festus Obande dismissed the appeal brought by Akpan, Udoedehe, Udofia and their political parties for lacking in merit.
Similarly, the apex court, yesterday, reserved judgments in the gubernatorial appeals relating to Cross River and Ogun states.
It withheld ruling till a later date in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), challenging membership of Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, of the All Progressives Congress ( APC).
Justice John Okoro, leading a five- man panel of judges, announced the decision after adoption of briefs and processes by lawyers.
The Court of Appeal, Calabar had dismissed the appeal filed by PDP candidate, Sandy Onor , against Governor Otu.
Onor had approached both the tribunal and appellate court, insisting that Otu must be disqualified from the race for alleged dual citizenship , certificate forger y and non- membership of the APC as of the time of the election.