Date Published: 09/12/11

Akpabio, Udoedehe know fate Tuesday

JUSTICE Jafaru Makailu of the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, will tuesday decide on the appeal filed by the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), its governorship candidate, Senator John Akpanudoedehe and his running mate, Chief Ime Umanah.

The appellate court had fixed tuesday as judgment in the appeal filed by ACN after entertaining arguments from parties on September 7.

ACN and others had challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) declaration of Governor Godswill Akpabio of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the April 26 governorship election.

The Election Petitions Tribunal, headed by Justice Adam Onum, had earlier dismissed the applications filed by the ACN and others on technical grounds.

The appellants, in their  arguments, raised six issues for the court’s determination.

They include whether or not considering Section 294(1) of the constitution, the unsigned judgment of the tribunal delivered on July 18 is valid and not liable to be set aside?

They also want the court to decide whether or not the tribunal was right in dismissing their petition following their failure to seek and obtain leave to move the application for the issuance of pre-hearing notice.