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Election Rigging: Court Dismisses No Case Submission By Professor

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1 year ago

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Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo was on Thursday ordered to make his defence in the allegation of election rigging brought against him by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC at an Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo.

The High Court had on Thursday dismissed the ‘No case submission’ and preliminary objection filed by the accused after the INEC accused him of trying to rig the 2019 election where he served as an ad-hoc official of the commission.

Professor Uduk who served as Collation/Returning officer for the Essien Udim State consituency during the 2019 general elections is being prosecuted by INEC for allegedly publishing false election results and for perjury.TATTLENG.COM reports that the accused had following the conclusion of the prosecution’s case on January 27, 2022, on February 9, 2022 filed a ‘No case submission’ and Preliminary objection.The presiding judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang in his ruling on the no case submission, however, dismissed all six grounds saying that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence for the accused to present his defence.Upon the submission by counsels to all the parties to the case, it was resolved to adjourn the case to to June 23, 27, 28 and 30th for the suspect to open his defence.Welcoming the ruling, INEC, counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN) said it was a well researched ruling.“It covers everything. As you all heard, the preliminary objection of the accused was dismissed, the ‘No case submission’ was also dismissed because as you all saw the  prosecution tendered avalanche of documents showing the connection of the accused person to the crimes charged before the court.“Honestly speaking, it would have amounted to failure of justice for the court to had held that the accused person who had issued contradictory reports would have no case to answer.“All we urged the Court was to see and hold that he has a Prima facie case to answer before His Lordship and we are very grateful the Court did a very wonderful job,  well researched ruling and we feel justice has been served”Also responding to the ruling, the defence counsel, Abasiodiong Ekpenyong said he would study it.Ekpenyong said: “We have just been handed down the ruling, we will take a closer look at the ruling again. I have options available to me. Certainly option avaiilable to me is an appeal.” I did not had to raise that before my Lord because I have not made up my mind on that yet. When I have access to the ruling, I will sleep over it with my team, and then explain it to my client, make the options available to him, and then we will know what next to do”,Send   

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How Aspirants Are Using APC Presidential Declaration To Negotiate Senate Tickets

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1 year ago

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May 7, 2022

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Several of the aspirants vying for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC are using the platform to also make a stake for the Senate, TATTLENG.COM has learnt.

Senator Godswill Akpabio who declared his intention on Wednesday for the presidency, it was learnt, could also use the platform to successfully negotiate to be Senate President in the event that someone from outside the South-South zone gets the presidential ticket.

The only other contender for a principal officer position with him is Senator Francis Alimikhena who is also fighting the political battle of his life with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.Oshiomhole had a month ago while celebrating his birthday declared his interest in the senate. He, however, has met stiff resistance from Senator Alimikhena who is determined to return to the Senate with the dream of vying for the office of Senate President or any other prominent position that could come to the South-South.Declaring his intention to bid for the Senate then, Oshiomhole had said:“It is true that for quite sometimes, many of our people have asked me why don’t you contest for the Senate and I said first APC has crisis, let us fix the crisis, let there be convention because you cannot begin to discuss what kind of baby you are going to have when you are not married.“Our leaders from the six local government areas have gathered here today to say I should contest and I believe that with your support, we will get there,” he had declared last April.However, with the rough battle at home in Edo North, Oshiomhole like Akpabio and some other contenders for the presidential ticket of the APC, it was gathered has decided to show strength at the national level by declaring for the presidency with the Senate being a soft landing.TATTLENG.COM gathered that the bid by these presidential declarants fits in with the Villa cabal who in the next few days up the chorus for a consensus with those heeding the call being given Senate tickets and other positions.Send   

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Tension Mounts In Akwa Ibom Over PDP Ward Congress

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1 year ago

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May 7, 2022

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Palpable tension is gripping the mainstream of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Akwa Ibom State over issues arising from the just concluded election ward congress of the party with the state leadership apprehensive of the prospects of the cancellation of the exercise.

Some of the party aspirants especially the governorship aspirants and their supporters had during the exercise raised allegation of disenfranchisement and election irregularities.

It could be recalled that Governor Udom Emmanuel had denied the allegations that the party disenfranchised anyone during the ward congress, insisting that those complaining never went to their ward centres.The tension was further flamed last Monday when some youths staged a peaceful protest to the Akwa Ibom State Secretariat of the PDP at Atan Offot, Uyo to lay complaints and express dissatisfaction over the conduct of the election of Ad-hoc delegates in the state.TATTLENG.COM even gathered that some aspirants and chieftains had immediately petitioned the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party in Abuja, and demanding  the cancellation delegates election.Also, there was widespread speculation among supporters of the various aspirants that the dates for the party primaries would be extended to enable the party address the grievances.But the statement by  the electoral umpire on Thursday May, 5, 2022 warning that political parties that failed to conduct their primaries for the nomination of their candidates beyond June 3, 2022, risks disqualification seemed to have dashed that hope.The INEC stance on the political parties primaries deadline may have even worsened the tension in the state chapter of the party as some chieftains declined to comment on the development.The tension among the supporters of the governor in the PDP who went away with victory during the ad-hoc delegate election flows from what was described as the avalanche of petitions from Akwa Ibom State bordering on irregularities in the conduct of the congresses. Reacting to the situation in the state a source privy to happenings in the party simply told TATTLENG.COM in confidence: “The complaints you are hearing are expected. It is normal in every contest. Even if Umo Eno does not pick the PDP ticket, only one person among all of them aspiring will pick it. For me whoever emerges, I will support the person. It is not a do or die affair.”Send   

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2023: Abia: APP knocks PDP, zones guber ticket to Abia north

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1 year ago

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May 7, 2022

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The Abia State chapter of the Action Peoples Party (APP), has resolved to zone its gubernatorial ticket to Abia North Senatorial district of the State.
It also specifically micro-zoned the deputy governorship slot to the people of Umunneato of Abia Central Senatorial district, while the people of Ukwa from the Abia South district will occupy the position of the Speaker in the State legislature.
But the opposition party has also knocked the State ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over alleged misrule and bad governance.
The Abia State Leader of the party, Mascot Uzor Kalu said this on Friday in a statement made available to newsmen in Umuahia, capital of the State.
Kalu also affirmed that the party has a working document on the zoning of the Abia governorship seat that will last for the next 20 years.
He also said the APP, which is on a rescue mission in the State, has come to free the suffering people of the State from the PDP-inflicted shackles of bad governance.
TATTLENG recalls that Kalu was former Chief of Staff to the former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji representing Abia Central Senatorial district and had contested and lost in the last by-election to represent the Aba North and Aba South Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.
However, in his political move, he said, “the formation of APP is based on equity, justice and fairness, as these basic ideologies compelled the leadership of the party in Abia State to make clear pronoucement on its zoning arrangements.
“APP is coming to rescue Abians in 2023. It is important we support them to succeed. It is a party of equity, justice and fairness”.
2023: Abia: APP knocks PDP, zones guber ticket to Abia north

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