Governor Emmanuel Udom and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are asking the Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss the petition of the APC on account of being unmeritorious, as a result of the wrongful nomination of the running mate of the petitioner, Mr Benedict Ukpong.
This was in reaction to claims by the APC and its Governorship candidate, Mr. Umana Umana, that the April 11 governorship election was not properly conducted in Akwa Ibom State.
They also asked the tribunal to reject the petition on the grounds of contradictions in the reliefs and prayers sought by the petitioner, and the failure to use full identities of the petitioner’s witnesses.
In his objection to the applications, Counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the petitioner, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the tribunal to discountenance the three applications for lacking in merit.
He argued that it was not the business of the tribunal to look into the nomination of a running mate of the petitioner, also saying that the Supreme Court has settled the issue on the use of initials by witnesses on oath, and as such asked the tribunal to reject the applications.
The Tribunal had earlier reserved judgement in the petition filed by the APC, challenging the victory of Governor Emmanuel Udom at the April 11 election in the state.