The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, has dismissed the petitions filed by Mr Eseme Eyiboh of the All Progressives Congress, APC, against Hon. Okpolupm Etteh of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
It upheld the victory of Etteh as the member representing Eket/ONNA/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
In a judgment read by the Chairman of the three-man Panel of Justices, Justice Kudirat Jose in Uyo, the Panel held that the petitioner failed to provide credible evidence to prove his case.
Citing relevant authorities, the Tribunal further maintained that the burden of proof was on the petitioner, who relied on mere speculations to allege that Hon. Etteh’s certificates were forged.
In his petitions, Mr. Eyiboh had alleged that the candidate of the PDP was not qualified to stand election due to certificate forgery and, therefore, sought the Tribunal to nullify Etteh’s eligibility and declare him (Eyiboh) winner of the said election.
Recall that Counsel to the first respondent, Barrister Ekpenyong Ntekim, had during the Panel’s sitting, told the Tribunal that it was rather surprising that the petitioner could not do due diligence to the case, citing his failure to produce witnesses from any of the institutions he claimed issued fake certificates to Hon. Etteh.
