The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its rival party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom state have been trading word over the possible outcome of the Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The two parties at the weekend engaged themselves in a verbal battle, trading words while Justice Anunihu-led Tribunal is yet determine the veracity of the case before it.
The PDP, through the state Commissioner for Justice Mr Uwemedimo Nwoko, announced at the weekend on state radio that the APC and its governorship candidate, Mr Umana Okon Umana, had run out of witnesses in the ongoing Tribunal.
But in a swift reaction, the APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Ita Awak, said the Commissioner’s outburst was not only misleading but suppressing the truth of the matter in order to create confusion among the people.
He said the APC had presented 47 formidable witnesses, including Mr Obong Victor Attah, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, and the political leader of the Ibibio race and a life member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Don Etiebet amongst others.
Mr Awak advised the commissioner to stop misinforming the people and concentrate on how the PDP and its team would convince the Tribunal that Mr Udom Emmanuel won the governorship election with 997, 071 votes when the electoral body had given evidence that the total number of accredited voters in that particular election in Akwa Ibom State was exactly 437,128 voters.
“There is no truth whatsoever in the PDP claim that the APC has run out of witnesses. As every averagely intelligent person knows, it is at the discretion of the petitioner in any case to determine the number of witnesses that may testify in order to prove the petitioner’s case.
“Lawyers know that cases are not won based on the multitude of witnesses that are called into the witness box but rather on the quality and integrity of the witnesses and the incontrovertibility of the evidence presented in court against the defendants that determines the outcome of the case,” he added.
He urged the people of Akwa Ibom to disregard the information and await the outcome of the Tribunal, noting that the APC legal team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun will resume its work on August 18, 2015.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!