The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, informed the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, that the figures being bandied by the APC in the Akwa Ibom North-west Senatorial district election, Senator Godswill Akpabio were fake.
Akpabio, a petitioner who is challenging the victory of Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the PDP, had claimed that he scored 61,329 votes in the election, but INEC says the figures were not from the Commission.
Counsel to INEC, Robert Emukpoeruo told the court that Akpabio was parading a bogus result and there was no accreditation of voters at the unit he claimed to have voted.
“You did not apply for smart card reader and voters register reports because you know they do not support the bogus votes you parade for Essien Udim.”
The INEC lawyer also told the court how the embattled former governor visited war on the people of Essien Udim on the day of election. “I put it to you that you declared WARSAW on Essien Udim.”
During proceedings on Tuesday, June 15, he claimed he won the election, but it turned out from the evidence that one of the prosecution witness 17, Anietie Ekong did not perform a critical process required in any election, which is accreditation.
The respondent’s lawyer challenged the witness, letting him know if he was not accredited, it therefore, means that he did not vote.
“Election result is a function of accreditation which is done through voters register. If he did not go through the proper channel of accreditation, therefore the result he has bandied about was not authentic.
“To be declared a winner, your victory must have been actual votes of electorates after accreditation,” counsel to the 2nd respondent,” Solomon Umoh (SAN) said.
“Where there was no accreditation, you could not have valid votes,” Umoh (SAN) also said during his questioning session with Senator Akpabio.
(New Telegraph)
