– The Supreme Court has passed a verdict on the last gubernatorial election which held in Akwa Ibom
– The Apex court has validated the election of Governor Udom Emmanuel
Governor Emmanuel Udom will stay on as governor of Akwa Ibom state, emerging reports suggests.
The Supreme Court sitting in Abuja On Wednesday, February 3, ruled in favor of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The ruling follows a long legal battle between Governor Emmanuel’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his opponent in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Umana Okon Umana stretching back to the dramatic April 11th, 2015 gubernatorial elections.
According to Sahara Reporters, the ruling by the apex court follows the December 18th Appeal Court ruling nullifying the election won by Governor Udom.
Both the PDP and APC Parties in Akwa Ibom state submitted appeals for either a partial or total re-run election exercise with both citing violence and pervasive polling irregularities.
In the same vein, the Supreme Court has upheld Okezie Ikpeazu’s election as the governor of Abia state.
The court gave the ruling validating the April 11 governorship election on Wednesday night but did not provide reasons for its judgment.
The court reversed the decision of the Court of Appeal, which nullified Mr. Ikpeazu’s election on December 31, 2015.
The Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Ikpeazu of the PDP won the lawfully cast votes in the April 11, 2015 election.
Premium Times reports that the court said full details of the ruling would be provided on Friday, February 26.
It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal, sitting in Owerri, had on December 31 removed Mr Ikpeazu as governor of the South-east state, the court also declared Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) the winner of the April 11 and April 25 supplementary elections in the state.
Meanwhile, supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom state had earlier taken over the Ibom Plaza in Uyo, while awaiting the Supreme Court judgment on the governorship election in the state.
The supporters were chanting in support of their party and “celebrating” the expected end of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They were hopeful that the Supreme Court would uphold the decision of the Court of Appeal to nullify the governorship election and remove Governor Udom, who was declared winner of the April 11 poll.
The Punch however, reports, that the Supreme Court verdict buried their hope, as witnesses say the supporters go home with heads hung low.
naij.com
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