3rd February, 2016
Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
The Supreme Court is set to rule on the case filed by Udom Emmanuel, the governor of Akwa Ibom State against the nullification of his election by the Akwa Ibom State Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
The election of Udom was nullified based on petition by Umana Okon Umana, the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate in the 2015 gubernatorial election.
In dismissing the appeal of Udom which was against the nullification of election in the 18 local governments of the State, the court of Appeal cancelled the elections in all the local governments of the State.
The seven man panel of Supreme Court rose after arguments by lawyers to the appellant and the respondent on why the decision of the two lower courts should be allowed to stay or be dismissed.
Damien Dodo, SAN the lead counsel to Udom had urged the court to uphold the election of his client because the APC candidate did not tender sufficient evidence to indicate that the gubernatorial election was marred by irregularities as he claimed.
He also argued that the Tribunal relied on the use of card readers to arrive at its decision, contrary to the decisions in some of the recent cases determined by the Supreme Court.
But Wole Olanipekun, the lead counsel to Umana disagreed.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria told the court that his client did not just rely on card readers to prove its case.