The Supreme Court on Thursday, re-affirmed Pastor Umo Eno as the Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Akwa Ibom State in the March 11 Governorship Election.

Okon had instituted the case over alleged certificate forgery and eligibility of the party’s governorship candidate, Pastor Eno.

The appellant, Okon, alleged that Mr Eno presented a forged voter’s card and two forged WAEC certificates of 1981 and 1983.

He also stated that the PDP screening committee cleared Mr Eno in error to participate in the 25th May governorship primary.

Okon also claimed that Mr Eno altered his date of birth resulting in three different dates of birth – 24/25 April 1964 and 1 January 1964.

He prayed the court to disqualify Pastor Eno and declare him (Mr Okon) as the winner of the party’s primary, being the second highest scorer with three votes at the nomination exercise.

Mr Okon participated in the PDP Primary in May but got only three votes, while Mr Eno had 993 votes from the 1, 018 delegates accredited for the exercise.

The Federal High Court in Uyo, presided over by Justice Agatha Anulika Okeke dismissed the case against the PDP candidate for want of merit and awarded N15 million damages against Mr Okon.

The plaintiff, Okon however, headed to the appellate court where he lost again. The three-man panel headed by Justice Oluwayemisi Elfreda Williams-Dawodu JCA upheld the ruling of the lower court.

The panel also reduced the fine of N15 million earlier pronounced by the lower court to N5 million, saying that both the appellant and the respondent were from the same family of the PDP and can still work together.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Akan Okon approached the Apex Court for reprieve.

In Suit No: SC/CV/172/2023 (Akan Okon v. PDP, INEC & Eno), the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the judgement of the lower Court.

The five-man panel held that Pastor Umo Eno who was duly nominated by his Party, PDP on May 25, 2022, was eminently qualified for the elections.

It also decided that Akan Okon pays the fine of N5 million earlier directed by the appellate court.

saintkeppy:
March 11th gonna be Battle Royale

Burgermann:
PDP is just having issues everywhere... Just relax with LP and find peace una no go gree

sageb:
waiting For Eno vs Michael Enyong (Babantan) case at the Supreme Court.

press9jatv:
Pdp wins Akwa Ibom State on every side. Atiku Abubakar wins February 25th presidential poll. Akpabio and Tinubu ti lule piii Lekan siii

fergie001:


SOURCE