BREAKING: Appeal Court sacks Akwa Ibom PDP governorship candidate, restores Umo Eno

On Tuesday evening, February 21, 2023, the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a ruling to displace the incumbent governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom State under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Micheal Enyong.

Court has also restored Umo Eno, whose candidacy was initially set aside by a Federal High Court in Abuja on January 20, 2023. The court had also ordered the PDP to submit Michael Enyong’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate.

What happened earlier: In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1295/2022 filed in August, Enyong had submitted that he won the party’s primaries conducted on May 25, 2022.

But he said the party refused to submit his name to INEC as the governorship flagbearer which informed his decision to seek legal redress.

While Eno and the PDP approached the Court of Appeal to appeal the judgment, they also filed a separate application at the Federal High Court seeking an order for stay of execution of its judgment. 

What is happening now: According to emerging reports, the Court of Appeal has also ordered Enyong, a House of Representatives member from Uyo Federal Constituency, to pay a sum of one million naira to the appellant as the cost of litigation.

What the court said: Justice Hamma Akawu Barka, presiding over the appeal filed by the PDP against the Federal High Court ruling, has called the prior verdict null and void, citing its foundation on errors.

During the Court of Appeal hearing, Justice Barka, in agreement with the PDP's representatives, Mr. Paul Usoro and Uwemedimo Nwoko, concluded that the Federal High Court had erroneously arrived at an unfair verdict due to being misled by the plaintiff.

The Court of Appeal held that the lower court had no discretion in law to exercise in the matter, since it had no jurisdiction to investigate the internal affairs of the PDP.

Finally, Justice Barka upheld the appeal of the PDP and vacated all orders issued by the Federal High Court in favor of Michael Enyong.

Finish him: Rapidly following the sack by the court, the PDP has expelled Michael Enyong over allegations of forgery.

Mr Enyong’s expulsion is contained in a letter dated 30 January and signed by Anthony Ekong, the PDP chapter chairman, and 14 other executive members of the party in Uyo Local Government Area, Enyong's place of origin.

Why PDP is expelling Enyong: Mr. Enyong, who the party reports did not participate in the exercise, won a different PDP primary held in his compound located in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

According to the local PDP chapter, Mr. Enyong used the outcome of this primary held in his home to mislead the court and obtain a favorable judgment.