A panel of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal in Abuja has sacked Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State. In delivering its final ruling on the conduct of the governorship election in Akwa Ibom, the five-member panel upheld the petition of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), agreeing that the election of Governor Emmanuel Udom of the People’s Democratic Party did not conform to the electoral act.
The court, therefore annulled the election, first re-asserting the importance of card readers and afirming that the election was marred by over-voting. The court denied all releiefs sought by the candidate of the PDP and granted the reliefs sought by the governorship candidate of the APC, Umana Okon Umana, asking for the cancellation of the election. The Court ordered a rerun of the election across the state within 90 days.
Mr. Udom is expected to appeal today’s verdict to the Supreme Court for a final decision.
