Politics

A’Ibom: YPP’s Akpan presents 5 witnesses as hearing begins in governorship election tribunal

As hearing begins on the governorship election tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on the matter between Senator Bassey Albert Akpan of Young Progressives Party (YPP) vs the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Pastor Umo Eno and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the petitioner presenting five witnesses.

The witnesses were: Hogan Ben Inyang, Sunny Ibuot, Nkereuwem Dickson Akpabio, Asuquo Odiong and Ndifreke Edem Udoh.

Led in evidence by the petitioner’s counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, the witnesses, after adopting their statements as evidence, also tendered their certificates issued by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) as exhibits.

On cross-examination by counsels for 2nd (Umo ENO)and 3rd (PDP), the witnesses however admitted that they could not explain why all the certificates tendered did not have identical features, adding that only the issuing body, WAEC, can explain.

They also said that apart from sitting for and passing the required examinations, they did not know any other procedures involved in the issuance of certificates and that they have never worked with WAEC.

Although Paul Usoro, SAN and Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, counsels for Pastor Umo Eno and PDP, respectively, objected to the admission of the WAEC certificates in evidence, they, however, withheld the reason for such objections till the final address.

Earlier, Ahmed Raji, the petitioner’s counsel, had suggested that all the eight petitions before the tribunal be consolidated to save time but the Court ruled that they should be taken individually as they contained different prayers.

The hearing continues tomorrow, June 7, 2023, as the Tribunal has indicated its readiness to accommodate more witnesses.

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