…UYO SENATE, TWO REPS SEAT, 4 AKHA PETITIONS SUFFER SETBACK
The woes of All Progressives Congress in the ongoing post elections legal tussle have been further compounded following the indefinite suspension of Tribunal 2 less than two months to the end of the life of the tribunal.
Justice Jennifer Ijohor who was reacting to petitions send to the President of the court of Appeal by the Akwa Ibom State chapter of All Progressives Congress, announced that all cases at the Election petitions tribunals in Panel 2 have been Adjourned sine die.
The adjournment, accordingly, is pending the decision of the Court of Appeal President on the petition against her.
From the recent supreme court judgement on the Osun State Governorship elections, it is clear that no petitioner should expect a favourable judgement, if any member of the panel, misses out on any sitting during the course of the case.
This means that any new addition to the tribunal would result in the entire process repeating itself.
Analysts have argued that should a new panel be constituted, it may not have sufficient time to go through all the processes required for the petitioners to prove their cases.
When contacted at the venue of the tribunal, a lawyer following the cases at the tribunal expressed worry that his party has decided to go against itself with the impending undesirable consequences that are bound to trail the delay in the court processes.
The Sanitation Court at Ibom Clinic Road in Uyo, venue of the Tribunal 2 has the following cases pending before the tribunal include Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Oron Federal Constituency, Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Oron/Udung Uko State Constituency and Nsit Atai State Constituency.
The case of Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial District which was adjourned for Judgement, will also await the reconvening of the tribunal.
