Tribunal judgment: Don Etiebet, Nsima Ekere, Inibehe Okori join Umana for celebration

By Nse Peter

The Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered its judgment today, and for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, it was one moment worthy of celebration.

Umana and his dear wife, Florence, hosted a handful of supporters in the evening at their private residence, Abuja to celebrate the tribunal judgment, even as their party – APC – has said it will appeal the judgment.

The former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere, together with the former petroleum minister, Atuekong Don Etiebet and the APC candidate for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District election, Chief Inibehe Okori joined Umana at his home for the celebration. Umana’s running mate, Engr. Benedict Ukpong was also present, including several APC leaders.

They sang songs of praise and worship. They offered prayers of thanksgiving to God. They drank wine and congratulated one another for a good ending. 

Yes, a good ending for the Umanas and thousands of APC supporters in Akwa Ibom State who sees the tribunal judgment as a milestone in the struggle to free the state from the vice-like grip of Godswill Akpabio and his family. Never in the history of Akpabio’s reign in politics has he been pushed this hard and this far.

The tribunal nullified the election in 18 out of 31 local government areas, including Onna where Governor Udom Emmanuel comes from. Other local government areas where the tribunal canceled the election are Etim Ekpo, Uyo, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai, Etinan, Ibesikpo, Ibeno, and Ikono.

Immediately after the tribunal delivered its judgment, Umana took to Facebook and twitter to congratulate Akwa Ibom people.

“We had decided to logically conclude this struggle to liberate all of us. We will do so and make sure we are all free,” Umana said. “Tribunal says election should be conducted in 18 LGAs. We are happy with it so far, but we end it where we want it to be.”

“I’m so happy, God has shaken the wall of the enemy and it will soon collapse and form dust. Shame on PDP, shame on Udom, shame on Akpabio, shame on their fans. Udom did not even win in Onna. God will disgrace them more,” Adigun Bukola Abigail, a diehard fan of APC commented on the judgment.

Out of the remaining 13 local government areas, Umana is said to have won in four, leaving Udom Emmanuel with only nine. And this raises a fundamental question whether Udom has fulfilled the constitutional requirement that a candidate must win in 2/3 of the local government areas that make up a state before he could be deemed to have been validly elected as governor.

There was also wild celebration among APC supporters in Akwa Ibom State.

In Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, hundreds of people clutching brooms, the APC symbol, marched from Nwaniba Road, through Brook Street to Wellington Bassey Way to join others at Ibom Plaza for a night-long celebration.