Politics
Supreme Court Upholds Election Of Umo Eno
struck out all three appeals filed by Governorship candidates
The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Pastor Umo Eno as the validly elected Governor of Akwa Ibom State
The apex court has accordingly struck out all three appeals filed by Governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Akanimo Udofia, New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Sen John Udoedehe and the Young Progressives Party, (YPP) Sen Bassey Albert Akpan.
This follows the withdrawal of the appeals by the respective appellants when the matters were called up for hearing on Thursday in Abuja.
When the appeal filed by John James Udoedehe(NNPP)came up, Mr Liman Hassan, SAN, Counsel to Mr Akanimo Udofia of the APC, told the Court that the crux of their appeal was the eligibility of the 2nd respondent(Pastor Umo Eno) and the 4th respondent on the basis of their having been convicted prior to the elections.
He said while Pastor Umo Eno was convicted by the Magistrate Court, Abuja Division, Senator Albert who came second, was also convicted by the Federal High Court and upheld by the Appeal Court, hence his client APC should be granted victory at the polls.
“My lordships, the purported verdict upturning the conviction of Pastor Umo Eno by the same Magistrate Court, is not tenable”, Udoedehe’s counsel raised.
“If it is true that the conviction has been set aside, you can’t just bring it up again”, the Supreme Court fumed.
Credit : Mike Effiong
