Uduk asks A’ibom chief judge to reassign electoral fraud case

… says he lacks confidence in trial judge

UNIVERSITY of Uyo lecturer and defendant in a three- count charge bordering on electoral fraud, Prof. Ignatius Uduk, has asked the chief judge of Akwa Ibom State to reassign his trial to another court, alleging that he has no confidence in State High Court 9 presided over by Justice Bassey Nkanang.

Uduk was engaged by Independent National Electoral Commission as collation/ returning officer for

Essien Udim State Constituency in the March 9, 2019 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

He is standing trial for allegedly announcing and publishing false election results and perjury, preferred against him by INEC.

After months of going back and forth, the defence counsel was scheduled to enter his defence on Wednesday, but he informed the court that he had filed an appeal at the court of appeal against an earlier judgment of the Uyo High Court on no case submission.

After listening to submissions by prosecuting and defence counsel, the presiding, Justice Nkanang, said the defence counsel did not follow legal procedure in informing the court of his appeal.

He, therefore, ordered the defence counsel to proceed to enter his defence. But instead of proceeding with the case, the defence counsel opted for a reassignment of the case to another judge, alleging bias.

The lead prosecuting counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor ( SAN) said INEC was not deterred by the development.

The implication of the development is that the case must start afresh under a new presiding judge to be decided by the state chief judge.