By Tom Okure, PhD
Date: December 19, 2015
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According to media sources in Nigeria, a five man panel of the Court of Appeals sitting in Abuja, Nigeria has ordered a fresh governorship election in Akwa Ibom state. The lead judge of the panel, Justice Adedotun Adefope Okojie who delivered the court decision on Friday November 18, 2015 in Abuja indicated that the court’s decision was based on what the court termed “substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.”
The appellate court also set aside the decision of the
October 21, Election Petition Tribunal for the governorship election by
nullifying the entire prior election in the state and ordering fresh elections
in the state within 90 days.
The appellate court noted that the governorship elections in
the state was not properly conducted as required by the law. It indicated that the onus was on the
respondents, Governor Emmanuel (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to prove that there was substantial compliance. It also
stated among other things, that the election tribunal was wrong by laying the
whole burden of proof on the petitioners, saying “whichever way one looks at
it, facts show that votes recorded at the end of the election were far in
excess of the total number of accredited voters.” Consequently, according to the
reasoning of the Appeals Court, the tribunal was wrong in holding that
non-compliance was not substantial to warrant the nullification of the entire
election.….Watch Video and Read more:
Other links Related To This News:
Nigerian Vanguard
PDP Kicks as a Court Nullifies Akwa Ibom Governship Election
Nigerian Daily Post
Court Of Appeal Rules Against Akwa Ibom Governor/
Premium Times
Appeal Court Sacks Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel and Nullifies Entire Election