SUPREME COURT DISMISSES SEPARATE APPEALS AGAINST AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNOR FOR ALLEGED FORGERY 11-01-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Supreme Court has dismissed three separate appeals brought before it by some governorship candidates seeking nullification of election of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo-Eno Bassey on account of alleged certificate forgery.
The petitions were those of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Young Progressive Party, YPP, and New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP.
Lead counsel to the respective parties withdrew their separate appeals following the hints from the Court’s panel of Justices that they had no merit.
The petition by APC and its governorship candidate, Akanimo Udofia, YPP and its gubernatorial candidate, Akpan Bassey as well as that of NNPP and its governorship candidate, John Udoedehe were dismissed by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji upon their withdrawal.
Counsel in the matter had made several attempts to convince the Supreme Court that Emo Eno Bassey and Bassey Eno Emo were not the same and as such that the governor allegedly forged his Secondary School Certificate.
The 5-Man Panel of Justices queried the lawyers on whether the West African Examinations Council WAEC gave evidence to establish the criminal allegations.
Upon admission that WAEC did not testify in the matter, the lawyers opted and separately withdrew the appeal.
This prompted Justice Abba-Aji to dismiss them following no objections from lawyers to the various respondents.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos had in November last year, affirmed the election of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State in the governorship election held on March 18, 2023.
The appellate court in its judgment dismissed three separate appeals, filed against the governor’s election.