Tribunal permits Ekere to inspect election materials

The Akwa Ibom State Election Petition Tribunal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere, inspect materials used for the March 9 governorship election.

Tribunal Chairman Justice A. M. Yakubu also permitted the APC to serve Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through substituted means.

Ekere’s lawyer, Chief Victor Iyenam, said the party will proceed immediately to paste the court processes at the PDP Secretariat at Four Lane, Uyo.

He said: “What we got was an application for substituted service since efforts to service Governor Udom Emmanuel failed. So, the court has granted us leave to serve the governor at the PDP office in Uyo. And then the other application is to inspect election materials.

“We will get to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office to obtain the documents as listed, inspect them and make photocopies.”

The tribunal said it received 34 petitions – two for the senatorial election filed by Senator Godswill Akpabio of APC against Mr Christopher Ekpenyong of the PDP from Akwa Ibom North West, and Bassey Etim of APC against Senator Bassey Akpan of the PDP from Akwa Ibom North East.

The tribunal also received eight petitions from the House of Representatives and 23 petitions from the House of Assembly elections of the 26 seats.