Don’t Go To Tribunal, Cleric Urges Aggrieved Akwa Ibom Candidates

Worried by several petitions at the Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal by political parties against the emergence of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, as the governor -elect, a senior cleric of the African Church, Rev. Richard Peters, has urged the governorship candidates to withdraw their petitions, and instead, deploy their resources to empower supporters.

LEADERSHIP gathered that some aggrieved governorship candidates including the Young Progressives Party (YPP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) are among the major opposition parties challenging the victory of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the tribunal.

Peters who gave the admonition immediately after Exchange of Pulpit Service at The African Church, St Michael’s Cathedral, Uyo, the state capital yesterday noted that since the elections had been adjudged free, fair and credible by all stakeholders including the security agents, international and independent observers, the outcome from the tribunal would not be different from the results already declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, it would amount to a waste of time and resources to embark on adventure that would not yield any positive result, even as he urged them to accept the outcome of the result for the overall interest of the state and its people.

While noting that it was their constitutional right to seek redress in the court of law, Peters said it was not out of place for them having failed in the elections, to join hands with Eno, to build and sustain the legacies of peace, unity and development of the outgoing Governor Udom Emmanuel.

He said, ‘’The Nigerian constitution has given right to whoever that feels aggrieved or dissatisfied in an election or any matter to seek redress in court. But looking at the reports of the election in Akwa Ibom State, 95% of it points to the fact that the election was free, fair and credible, no case of disenfranchisement.”