September 14, (THEWILL) – The Cross River State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has welcomed the electoral victories of two of its candidates in the Elections Petition Tribunal in the state.
The candidates are the House of Representatives candidate in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Godwin Offiono, and its candidate for the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency, Austin Aidam.
The elections petition tribunal, headed by O. A. Adeniyi, affirmed the election of Godwin Offiono for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, while Justice Sambo, in a separate tribunal, nullified the results of the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency elections in 19 polling units and ordered fresh elections in the affected units.
Responding to their victories in separate messages, the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Mike Ojisi, thanked the judiciary for Hon. Offiono’s victory, saying the tribunal delivered “substantial justice in the petition based on the facts and evidence tendered before it, in line with the extant electoral laws, guidelines and regulations.
“The Tribunal ruled that the petitioner lacked merit, and has failed to prove his petition beyond reasonable doubt and the petition was dismissed in its entirety”, he said.
For the victory of Austin Aidam, the party noted that “the number of votes used in declaring the APC candidate elected was incorrect.
“The panel noted inflation of numbers of votes accredited to the APC candidate were reduced to the accurate number, thereby ordering Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary elections in those affected polling units within 90 days, to declare the rightful winner and return elected for the Akamkpa/Biase federal Constituency.
“The party is confident that the nineteen affected polling units, where the elections rerun have been ordered, would again be won in your favour”, he said.
The party expressed its confidence that Hon. Godwin Offiono will deploy his wealth of experience and proven pedigree in political representation to bear in the 10th Assembly.
The party also maintained that the victory of Hon. Austin Aidam has further proven the capacity of the judiciary to uphold justice and serve as the bastion of democracy.
He added that the party rejoices over the victory, particularly as it re-established confidence of the electorate in his representation at the green chamber of the National Assembly.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
