A thoroughly compromised panel of judges serving on the gubernatorial election tribunal in Akwa Ibom State today invoked a technicality to dismiss the case of election fraud filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria. The ruling sustains Godswill Akpabio for now in the governorship seat he won by pulling off one of the most audacious acts of rigging in the April, 2011 set of elections.
A thoroughly compromised panel of judges serving on the gubernatorial election tribunal in Akwa Ibom State today invoked a technicality to dismiss the case of election fraud filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria. The ruling sustains Godswill Akpabio for now in the governorship seat he won by pulling off one of the most audacious acts of rigging in the April, 2011 set of elections.
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“This is a low point for the judiciary in this country,” said a lawyer who spoke to SaharaReporters about the tribunal’s baffling decision. “In a case of this magnitude and importance, it is shocking that the tribunal did not even try to examine the deluge of evidence brought before it.”
A source told SaharaReporters that the judges had actually given Mr. Godswill Akpabio a copy of the judgment in advance of its delivery today. Emboldened by the corrupt judges, Mr. Akpabio travelled to his hometown yesterday and offered a "thanksgiving service."
Several sources also disclosed to our reporters that Mr. Akpabio and his associates staged a major celebration last night at Government House in Uyo as well as a series of celebrations at other locations in anticipation of today's formal announcement of a ruling the governor had secured by corrupt means.
The tribunal, led by Justice Adam Onum, had often trumpeted its determination to give a fair trial. However, today's ruling, which was based on a technicality that the ACN did not request for evidence examination through an ex parte order, revealed weeks of underhanded corrupt activities between members of the tribunal and the Akpabio team.
Our informants revealed that Mr. Akpabio lodged panel members in Davok Hotel located in the super-expensive Ewet Housing Estate. The hotel reportedly belongs to Mr. Akpabio's wife.
Our investigation also revealed that Justice Onum, the chairman of the tribunal, recently received a car gift from Akpabio. However, in order to avoid detection, the gift was given through the Governor of Benue State, Godwin Suswam.
In a curious twist, INEC's lawyer, J S Okutekpa at the Benue electoral tribunal lawyers today sought to bring the ruling in Akwa Ibom to the attention of the tribunal handling their case in Makurdi, but the judges rejected the submission, claiming not to have seen or read the ruling.
Mr. Suswam's lawyers are making a similar plea to have the tribunal strike out a petition brought by Dr. Steve Ugbah, the ACN governorship candidate in Benue, on a similar technicality. However, lawyers to Mr. Ugbah led by former NBA chairman, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and Femi Falana, vehemently opposed the application drawing the court’s attention to the position of the Court of Appeal that whenever there is ample evidence of electoral malpractice before a tribunal, the tribunal is bound by law to deal with the substance of the case and not technicality. Ugbah’s team drew the attention of the court to the Court of Appeal ruling on the petition filed by Mr. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) against President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP. In that case, a tribunal of the Court of Appeal dismissed Jonathan's objections based on technicalities and ordered all the parties to be ready for a full hearing.
The Benue tribunal has adjourned till tomorrow (Tuesday) for a ruling on the matter. Two legal observers told SaharaReporters that Mr. Akpabio’s “victory" today was bound to be short-lived. “I strongly believe the Court of Appeal will reverse the ruling,” one of the lawyers said.
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