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Tag: Senator Godswill Akpabio

  • Akpabio accuses INEC of flouting inspection order

    Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom Northwest) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of denying his legal team access to election materials.

    Chairman of the Election Petition Tribunal, Justice W.O Akanbi, on April 2, granted Senator Akpabio, the petitioner and applicant, and his agents, including forensic experts, access to inspect and copy all electoral materials used for the Akwa Ibom Northeast senatorial election.

    But Akpabio’s lawyer, Patrick Umoh, said INEC has refused to obey the tribunal order to allow them inspect and copy the materials for litigation purposes.

    Umoh accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini, of colluding with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to frustrate the legal team.

    He said: “We learnt that on the instruction of Igini, Akwa Ibom INEC has consistently flouted the order and has refused the agents of Senator

    Akpabio and forensic experts access to the election material. INEC has been engaging in a hide-and-seek game.

    “We also wish to inform you that we had earlier reported for the said inspection on April 11 12 and 15, but our efforts to have access to the materials and inspect same did not yield any positive result.”

    Akpabio’s lawyer said the hide-and-seek by Igini may have been to tip off the PDP and give them sufficient time to oppose the move for the inspection of the materials.

    “INEC has colluded with PDP and advised the party to file a motion on April 16, which they cited as the reason they couldn’t allow the inspection as ordered by the court,” he added.

    But INEC has said it did not deny Akpabio’s legal team access to the election materials.

    Its Head of Legal Department, Mark Chukwu, explained that the inspection which was scheduled for 11am yesterday would have been done but for a Motion on Notice obtained from court and issued to INEC by one of the parties in the election.

    Chukwu added that despite the Motion on Notice, INEC still invited the legal teams of all the political parties to inspect the materials in the strong room.

    He, however, said the inspection was not possible because of the shabby arrangement of the materials which needed to be sorted out by Electoral Officers.

    He said: “It is not true that the commission stopped Akpabio’s lawyers from inspecting electoral materials. Despite the Motion on Notice served the commission by one of the political parties, the commission still granted the legal teams of the petitioners access to the strong room to inspect the materials.

    “We, however, noticed that the electoral materials were not properly packaged for easy sorting. So we have scheduled three days for the sorting to be done by the EOs.

    “We have also invited all political parties to participate so that the exercise will be open and free to all concerned.”

  • INEC flouting tribunal order on inspection of election materials, says Akpabio

    Senator Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom Northwest senatorial district has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state of denying his legal team access to election materials.

    It could be recalled that the Chairman of the Election Petition

    Tribunal, Justice W.O Akanbi had on April 2 granted Senator Akpabio, the petitioner and applicant and his agents including forensic experts’ access to inspect and copy all electoral materials used in the Akwa Ibom Northeast senatorial election.

    However, counsel to SenatorAkpabio, Mr. Patrick Umoh disclosed that the INEC in the state has refused to obey the order of the tribunal to allow them inspect and copy the materials for litigation purposes.

    Umoh told our correspondent that it was obvious that the state

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, Mr. Mike Igini was colluding with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the state to frustrate the efforts of the legal team.

    Read also: INEC Chairman Yakubu: votes now count

    “We learnt that on the instruction of Igini, Akwa Ibom INEC has consistently flouted the order and has refused the agents of Senator

    Akpabio and forensic experts access to the election material. INEC has been engaging in a hide-and-seek game.

    “We also wish to inform you that we had earlier reported for the said inspection on Thursday, the 11thday of April, 2019, Friday, 12thApril, 2019 and Monday, 15thApril, 2019 but our efforts to have access to the materials and inspect same did not yield any positive result,” Umoh said.

    Akpabio’s lawyer said that the hide-and-seek by Igini may have been to tip off the PDP and give them sufficient time to oppose the move for the inspection of the election materials by forensic experts hired by Senator Akpabio.

    “INEC has colluded with PDP and advised the party to file a motion on April 16th which they cited as the reason they couldn’t allow the inspection of the materials as ordered by the court.

    “Analysts believe the hide-and-seek by INEC was to give the PDP enough time to file the motion,” he maintained.

    Head legal department of INEC in Akwa Ibom, Mr. MarkChukwu who spoke on the matter said it is not true that Akpabio’s legal team was denied access to electoral materials.

    Chukwu explained that the senator’s lawyers had met with the

    commission to allow them inspect and copy the materials which the commission quickly granted.

    He, however, said the inspection which was scheduled for 11am on Wednesday would have taken place but for Motion on Notice obtained from court and issued to INEC by one of the parties in the election.

    Chukwu further said that despite the Motion on Notice, the commission still went ahead to invite legal teams of all the political parties to come inside the strong room to inspect the materials.

    He, however, said the inspection was not possible because of the shabby arrangement of the materials, which needed the presence of Electoral Officers to help sort them out.

  • Akpabio: opponents using my name to intimidate tribunal

    Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) has accused his opponents of using his name to intimidate judges of the election tribunal.

    According to him, his opponents have started ascribing false and malicious statements to him to paint him in bad light before the tribunal.

    A statement by his media aide, Anietie Ekong, described as ‘unfortunate’, ongoing propaganda that Akpabio vowed to secure victory at the Appeal Court if the tribunal refused to deliver judgment in his favour.

    The statement reads: “The attention of Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to malicious news titled: “I will win at Appeal if tribunal judges refuse to perform”, with an equally malicious rider “says Appeal Court President in his palms”.

    Read also: Akpabio serves Ekpenyong petition to appear at tribunal

    “We state categorically that Senator Akpabio never uttered those words. The article is political propaganda manufactured from the pit of hell. The obvious objective of this ill-advised article is to intimidate and blackmail members of the Akwa Ibom State election tribunal and sway them from the course of justice.”

    Ekong affirmed that nothing would stop the Senator from seeking redress in court for the ‘brazen robbery’ of his mandate which the people of Akwa Ibom North West gave him.

    “It is not just about Senator Godswill Akpabio. The right of the people of Akwa Ibom North West to freely choose their leader cannot be mortgaged. This is why Senator Akpabio has chosen the path of due process by challenging the electoral heist of February 23. Such daylight robbery cannot stand.

    “The tribunal will have no inhibition upturning the shambolic election. This is why his opponents are in panic. The Senator has implicit confidence in the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or intimidation,” he added.

  • Akpabio challenges loss at tribunal

    Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) has approached the election tribunal in Uyo to begin the legal proceedings to challenge his loss at the February 23 elections.

    Akpabio contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The suit, which was filed on March 16 by his lawyer, Sunday Ameh, followed Akpabio’s withdrawal of the case he earlier filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, which sought to challenge his loss at the election.

    Akpabio is seeking to upturn the victory of Mr. Christopher Ekpenyong and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), based on perceived electoral irregularities which characterised the said election.

    Read also: Akwa Ibom: How underdog tag helped Emmanuel

    While the election was on, the former Senate Minority Leader had besieged the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging infractions and deliberate violations of the electoral law and guidelines.

    He accused INEC of collaborating with some PDP chieftains to wrongfully declare Ekpeyong and his party winner of the poll, having scored 118,215 as against Akpabio’s 83,158.

    However, Ameh said the result sheets from Akwa Ibom INEC office showed different figures that had Akpabio securing 138,256 votes as against Ekpeyong’s 123,843.

    Akpabio’s lawyer said his client is dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election.

  • How Akpabio unleashed mayhem on us, by kinsmen

    Prince Ukpong Akpabio has recounted how his people in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State were terrorised by Senator Godswill Akpabio during the March 9 elections. Prince Ukpong Akpabio, who is Senator Akpabio’s cousin, said they saw hell in the hands of Senator Akpabio and his supporters.

    A communiqué signed by the stakeholders and leaders, and read by Imo-owo Okpokpo, reads: “Essien Udim people condemn the electoral offenses and irregularities masterminded and perpetrated by Senator Godswill Akpabio and his cohorts, in which almost all the election process in the area was marred by unlawful militarisation, rigging and assault on officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “The atrocities include carting away of electoral materials and kidnapping of INEC ad hoc workers, with military help, to the home of Ibanga Akpabio.

    “Senator Akpabio and his cohorts, apart from assaulting INEC workers, also beat and machete some PDP faithful to unconsciousness.”

    They maintained that in units where elections held, PDP won and they have their result sheets intact. According to them, any other result is fake and does not represent the people’s votes.

    The people rejected the published results so far released by INEC, and condemned the cancellation of results in nine wards in the council area.

    They admonished Senator Akpabio to desist from further advertising “his declining and dwindling political status through interviews as such will continue to deepen his failing image. “We have totally rejected by him as a people,” they said.

    But Senator Akpabio described them as political merchants and contractors hired to tarnish his image.

    Akpabio, who spoke through his media aide, Anietie Ekong, said: “”The people are hired political merchants and contractors who have been procured to denigrate Senator Godswill Akpabio to diminish him for a token. But it is a futile attempt.

    “The allegations are spurious, baseless and unfounded. They can gloat over the pyrrhic victory recorded by the PDP, but Akwa Ibom people know that never in the history of the state have we witnessed such heist and  electoral robbery aided by a compromised umpire like in the last election.

    The stolen mandate that they are celebrating today will be retrieved.”

  • ‘Arrest Akpabio, Ekere now for electoral offences’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom yesterday called on security agencies to arrest the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere and Senator Godswill Akpabio for alleged electoral offences.

    It alleged that Ekere and Akpabio committed the offences during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections last Saturday.

    PDP spokesman Ini Ememobong made the call at a news conference at the party secretariat on Four Lane, Uyo.

    He said: “We were shocked yesterday by the press statement issued by the state Chairman of the broom-wielding party, Ini Okopido, and the subsequent press conference hosted by the duo of Obong Nsima Ekere and Godswill Akpabio alleging that they won in 26 local government areas of the state.

    “This is surely the best example of living in fool’s paradise. We must state that the APC lost in all the local government areas, including Essien Udim and Ikot Abasi local government areas.

    “In Essien Udim, materials in Ekpeyong Ward were hijacked by APC agents at the voting units in Independence High School, thugs and policemen sympathetic to Senator Akpabio mounted the gates and prevented PDP supporters from gaining access to the venue.

    “The thugs further unleashed physical attack on a reporter (names withheld) who was there to cover the elections. He  was severely beaten up and chased away.”

    The PDP alleged that an aide to the senator was accompanied by scores of policemen and thugs to disrupt the elections on Saturday.

    Ememobong went on: “As if that was not enough, the INEC office in the local government area was (allegedly) kept under siege by the senator.”

    According to the PDP spokesman, result sheets were filled and forced on presiding officers to sign.

    “These facts are alive and at the tribunal, we will avail the court,” he stated, adding: “The entire world noted the delay it took for Essien Udim to collate and transmit results, all because of Senator Akpabio’s unwholesome interference.

    “In Ikot Abasi Local Government Area,  APC thugs were on the rampage, carting away electoral materials and personnel and taking them to Ekere’s residence, where thumb printing was done.

    “Even in Nsima Ekere’s Unit, pictorial evidence abound to show armed soldiers arranging the voting queue to ensure that PDP supporters did not vote.

    “In units 2, 6 and other units in Ward 7, thugs led by Ernest Ntuk hijacked ballot boxes and electoral personnel, delivering them at the residence of Ekere.

    “We therefore call for the arrest of Godswill Akpabio and Nsima Ekere for the numerous electoral and criminal offences committed by them in the course of these elections.

    “The rule of law makes all men equal before the law.”

     

  • State Of The Nation: Akpabio’s strength overrated in Akwa Ibom – Eriye

    Political analyst and Sunday Editor of The Nation Newspapers, Festus Eriye, joined by Senior Correspondent Dare Odufowokan to discuss the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senate President Bukola Saraki losing their senatorial seat.

  • Akpabio decries conduct of PDP officials

    Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio has expressed displeasure with the turn of events during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections’, saying the process was disrupted by thugs hired the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who did not allow the wishes of the people to prevail.

    Speaking to reporters at his polling unit while waiting for results to be announced, Akpabio said the PDP were shocked with the performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  in the election and therefore resorted to carting away result sheets, to disrupt the process. His words: “Today, whenever they are counting votes and the APC is leading, somebody will come from nowhere and grab the result sheet and bolt away.

    “It happened in Abak. The APC was leading so much that the brother of one of the candidates for the federal House of Representatives grabbed the result sheet and jumped through the window of the primary school and attempted to run away in his car. But the army shot at him and impounded the car. He managed to escape.

    “In the local government of Governor Udom Emmanuel, they got angry when they realised that the APC was leading. They attacked the youth corps member and scattered the materials, as if to say why the APC should be leading in Onna, the governor’s community.”

    Akpabio said what the opposition party did not understand is that the people love him simply because of his good works.

    He said he was shocked with the avalanche of support and show of love he saw the day he defected from the PDP to the APC.

    He added: “I have never seen such a crowd in my life. There were hundreds of thousands of people packed together, but they were patient.”

    Similarly, a member of the state House of Assembly, Nse Ntuen, said what he witnessed during the election suggests that the electoral umpire has been compromised. He said: “There are no result sheets in many of the units. Even after voting, you see people coming to cause trouble and harass the voters.

    “This is what we have been saying, even before the commencement of this exercise. It seems that the umpire is not neutral; the umpire is biased. But we did not dwell on that; what we have tried to do as citizens was to mobilise people to come out and vote.

    “On a good day, nobody would vote for any other party here, except the APC. I am sure you have gone round the units in the local government to see what is happening.

    “We have spoken to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and he says we should mobilise people to take the results from the units to the oval government collation centres, because at the ward level, we hardly know the collation officers.”

    He was optimistic however that the APC will carry the day.

    The election in Akwa State was generally peaceful, but for a few flashpoints where violence was witnessed.

    The exercise started late in many units, due to the late arrival if voting materials.

    It was also as if the two major parties concede superiority to their opponent in places where they know they cannot win, by not bothering to have representatives in such units.

    For instance, when The Nation called at the voting unit of Senator Bassey Albert, there was no APC agent on hand. Similarly, there were no PDP agents at Senator Ita Enang and Senator Godswill Akpabio’s polling unit.

    As at 6.30pm when our correspondent left Akpabio’s polling unit, the results for the three voting points within the complex were yet to be declared.

  • PDP, Akpabio trade words over Obot Akara attack

    Elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of the Akwa Ibom Elders and Stakeholders forum and Senator Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, traded words over the carnage in Obot-Akara Local Government Area of the state.

    The mayhem, which occurred on the eve of last Saturday’s botched election, led to the death of two persons and the burning down of 13 INEC vehicles in the area.

    The PDP elders, who addressed a press conference, at the banquet hall of the Government House, in Uyo, accused Senator Akpabio of masterminding the attack in order to cause panic and win the elections for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Former Military Administrator of the state, Idongesit Nkanga, accused Senator Akpabio of hiring thugs from neighbouring States.

    Nkanga who is the Director-General, Mandate Organisation, further alleged that Akpabio had assured the thugs of protection from Aso Rock, the DSS, the Inspector General of Police and other paramilitary agencies.

    ”The conduct, last Saturday, in Obot Akara where INEC buses were burnt with election materials was masterminded by Senator Akpabio.”

    But in a swift reaction on Friday, Senator Akpabio described the allegations as spurious, baseless and unfounded, adding that the elders were playing the victim complex of an impending defeat.

    Akpabio who spoke through his Special Assistant Media, Anietie Ekong, said “The attention of the former Senate Minority Leader and Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to some spurious, baseless and unfounded statements credited to some Akwa Ibom Elders and Stakeholders on the forth-coming election.

    ”It beats our imagination that the Elders could call a press conference to spew lies and falsehood and make a crude attempt to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari, all in the name of politics. But it follows a familiar pattern of crying wolf since the defection of Senator Akpabio to the All Progressives Congress.

    He added, ”It is nonsensical for anyone to claim that Senator Akpabio held a meeting with unnamed security agencies in the state, and informed them that Mr. President has given permission for him to ‘kill and maim all opponents and that nothing will happen to any officer who carries out the instruction.’

    ”President Buhari is a responsible leader who is committed to the well being of all Nigerians and could not have given any instructions on innocent Nigerians to be maimed and killed. It is most irresponsible politics to drag in the name of the President.”

  • Akpabio to Saraki: Senate must be restructured, reconstituted

    The Senate resolution to sheath the sword may have broken down as the former Senate minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Wednesday openly canvassed the immediate reconstitution of the upper chamber because there is need for.

    Akpabio said that the Senate should immediately be restructured and reconstituted to reflect the numerical strength of parties in the upper chamber.

    He said that there was need for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to assume leadership of the Senate.

    Akpabio stated this at a press briefing after altercation in the Senate chamber.

    Senator Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) vowed not make any further contributions in plenary as long as Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) continued to preside over the affairs of the Senate.

    The former Akwa Ibom State Governor asked Saraki to take a cue from his example and step down as Senate President.

    He said that it is on record that he tendered his resignation letter as minority leader when he defected from the PDP to APC.

    He noted that in all sphere of endeavours as well as in democratic setting, “the majority must always preside over the minority.”

    He added that while the minority should have its say, the majority should have its way for the peace to prevail.

    The Senate, he insisted, must be properly constituted while Senators must sit according to political parties in the chamber.

    According to him, “You cannot have 10 senators presiding over the affairs of 80 senators and expect peace to reign.”

    Akpabio said, “On the other side, having me move from the PDP to the APC, I think it is a jolly good movement and I am excited that I have a much greater opportunity to relate directly with the government and not my voice to be heard from a partisan point of view.

    “Being part of the ruling party now, whatever advice or contributions I will make will not be looked at with suspicion. They will now know that I am saying it from a patriotic point of view and for the fact that I want things to work better.

    “I moved in national interest. I saw a kind of slight towards disorder, where many of my colleagues saw defection as a weapon against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “I don’t believe that we should bring a government into being without supporting that government to succeed. If the administration slides and Nigeria slides into anarchy, it is our children that will suffer. I moved to stabilise the polity.

    “I moved from PDP to APC, to make sure that this government works before election. It should not be all about election; it should be first about Nigeria. Let others also move in national interest.

    “I did not just move like that, I was a (Minority) Leader in the Senate. I resigned my position in order to show that, yes, I meant business. Let others who also have positions in the Senate who wish to also cross carpet from one political party to another also resign their positions and take a cue from what Godswill Akpabio did.

    “There is the need for us to restructure the Senate. Behind where I sat today, my very good friend, distinguished Senator Shittu; it was after the little noise in the Senate that he told me that he was now in the PDP and I said ‘why are you sitting here?’

    “Don’t you think there is the need for us to restructure the Senate? PDP will sit on a side, APGA will sit where they are supposed to, and the ruling party which still forms the majority will still sit where they are supposed to sit.

    “The leadership should be restructured in a way that the majority can have their way and the minority will have their say. That is the practice all over modern democracies.

    “You cannot have a political party with 10 members, another with 80 members, and the 10 members will now produce the leadership.

    “Does it happen anywhere in the world? Nigeria is not different. We are running a democracy. That is what I meant when I said I would speak when the Senate is well restructured and reconstituted.”