Senator opens defence before election tribunal

chika ebuzor

September 10, 2015 4:30 AM

At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to Akpabio, Mr Paul Usoro (SAN), told the tribunal that the first respondent intended to call 25 witnesses.

The Akwa-Ibom National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday entertained two witnesses in defence of the election of Sen. Godswill Akpabio, (PDP-Akwa-Ibom North-West).

At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to Akpabio, Mr Paul Usoro (SAN), told the tribunal that the first respondent intended to call 25 witnesses.

One of the witnesses, Prof. Adewale Ladipo, who is the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the Akpabio won the party’s primaries for Akwa-Ibom North-West Senatorial District.

"PDP sponsored Chief Goodswill Akpabio for Akwa-Ibom North-West Senatorial District election and he won with a very wide margin. Also, I am aware that parties submitted to INEC, forms indicating list of names for contestants and Akpabio`s name was among. INEC did not complain that we mislead it’’, he said.

In his testimony, the second witness, Mr Olatunji Oshuntokun, who supervised the PDP primaries in A’Ibom North-West and South Senatorial districts, said the elections were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.

Oshuntokun added that and that they were free and fair adding that d Akpabio won the A’Ibom North-West primary election.

chika ebuzor