Obong Nsima Ekere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Akwa Ibom has said that what took place in Akwa Ibom State on March 9, 2019 did not follow INEC guidelines and known Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and principles.
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Obong Nsima Ekere was the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last Governorship election that was held in March 9, 2019.
Obong Nsima Ekere speaking to newsmen through his lead counsel, Barr. J.S. Okutepa, SAN at the end of proceedings on Tuesday, opined that the electoral processes starts with accreditation and ends with declaration of results and return, and that if one of the processes is missed, the end result of the process cannot be said to be valid.
He said “the essence of approaching the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal is to seek justice for the entire Akwa Ibom people and to set good electoral and judicial precedents in the country.
“What took place in Akwa Ibom State on March 9, 2019 did not follow INEC guidelines and known Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and principles”, he said.
“We came to the Tribunal because Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a supposed Electoral umpire, decided to be partisan. Accreditation of voters is the first foundation any election rests on, and was not carried out by them during the election. Our problem is not who they (INEC) declared as the winner of that election. Our problem is, how did the person so declared emerge.”
“It may interest you to know that we have tendered certified true copies of INEC documents. We did not get them from the moon. We got them from INEC. In law, documents speak for themselves. We have tendered those documents before their Lordships at the Tribunal. It is on this premise that we want justice in this case because we came for justice”.
“We have proven our case of violence, thuggery, substantial non-compliance with known Electoral Laws and INEC Guidelines beyond every reasonable doubt, and the Tribunal needs to dispense justice without fear or favour”.
According to Ekere,” justice precedes judgment. The tribunal should not go for judgment; but justice”.
The Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal has adjourned to September 10, 2019 for the adoption of written addresses of the parties in the Petition.
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