The Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, on Monday, struck out the petition of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its governorship candidate, Senator John Akpanudoedehe that challenged the re-election of Chief Godswill Akpabio as governor of Akwa Ibom State.
The three-member tribunal presided over by Justice Ayuba Kwajafar, struck out the petition based on the recent Supreme Court judgment which affirmed that election matters must be disposed of within the constitutionally stipulated 180 days.
Counsels for Governor Akpabio, Mr Aniefiok Dennis and Mr Uwemedimo Nwoko, told newsmen that the tribunal had no option but to abide by the constitutional provisions.
According to Dennis, the judgment was no surprise since the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling on Borno State clearly made it obvious that the petitions from the April 2011 governorship elections had exceeded their lifespan since November 2011 as provided in Section 285(6) of the constitution.
Reacting, Governor Akpabio said he had never been distracted by the petitions, as he had always been focused on transforming the lives of his people.
This, he said, was evident in the recent award of contract for an ultra-modern terminal building at the Akwa Ibom International Airport, the soon to commence Olympic-sized stadium in Uyo, the ongoing multi-lane third ring road and several other road networks in the state.
Chief Akpabio said with the dismissal of the case, he would re-double his efforts to reposition the state like never before.
Quoting from Ecclesiastes 3:1, Governor Akpabio posited that there was time for everything and as such the time had come for an end to the battle by the opposition in the state, even as he invited them to join him in his uncommon transformation revolution.
“I will be very glad to integrate them into the polity,” the governor added.
The state Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, on his part, said it was victory for the people of the state.
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