Its a tensed up atmosphere in Akwa Ibom state as the Supreme court presides over the gubernatorial election results of the South-south state.
Governor Udom Emmanuel and Umana Okon Umana
There was anxiety yesterday in the political camps of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State ahead of tomorrow’s Supreme Court verdict on the governorship election appeal between Governor Udom Emmanuel of the PDP and Umana Okon Umana of the APC, according to the Nation.
The Supreme Court fixed tomorrow for hearing in the appeal. Based on the current trend with appeal cases in other states, the apex court is expected to deliver judgement on the same day.
Already, members of both parties have taken to the social media to express diverse opinions on what the outcome of the verdict could be. Those in the PDP are hoping that the verdict would not be different from what the Supreme Court justices delivered in the case between Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and APC’s Dakuku Peterside, which upheld Wike’s election.
But those in APC hoped Umana would defeat Emmanuel, based on the facts and evidence before the court. It was learnt that the state’s Local Government and Chieftaincy Commissioner had started mobilising former political office holders ahead of the possible outcome of the verdict.
Some text messages forwarded to the former chairmen was obtained by a reporter. One of them reads: “Chair, pls attend an urgent meeting with the Commissioner for Local Government, Victor Antai, as follows: Date February 1, 2016; Time – 1pm; Venue: Ministry of Local Government, Uyo. Please, come with all former caretaker/transition chairmen in your local government who are still members of the PDP. Thanks.”
The agenda of the meeting, it was learnt, would dwell on the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal pending before the Supreme Court, whose verdict would be delivered tomorrow.