The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State over the weekend alerted security agencies over an alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to tamper with court evidence in the ongoing elections petition tribunal in the state.
In a statement signed by the party’s state publicity secretary, Nkereuwem Eyongekere and made available to newsmen in Uyo, APC claimed that it received credible intelligence and classified information that the PDP and other respondents in the ongoing Governorship Election petition trial were making “desperate attempts to tamper with the avalanche of the exhibits and documented evidence tendered by our great Party, the APC, and its governorship Candidate, Mr. Nsima Ekere at the Tribunal.”
According to the statement which read in parts,
“The PDP and Gov. Udom Emmanuel, we understand, have been embarrassed and flummoxed by these exhibits which show clearly what we have been saying even before the elections: that the PDP and INEC were working together to perpetrate one of the worst electoral frauds in the state.
“Our evidence and the exhibits have shown clearly that there was no accreditation at most of the polling units during the Governorship Election. This is why INEC allowed PDP supporters to engage in multiple voting using unclaimed PVCs.
“It is therefore no surprise that given their proclivity for fraudulent practices, the respondents in the case may want to extend their stock in trade to the court premises.
“It was in anticipation of these nefarious and fraudulent tendencies on their part that necessitated our earlier call for the Tribunal to sit in Abuja. But our suggestion was vehemently opposed by the PDP. We now know why.
“We are calling on our security agencies to be on the lookout for these unscrupulous politicians who have no restraints in executing any unconscionable action to achieve their evil purposes.
However the Peoples Democratic Party PDP,through its State publicity Secretary,Ini Ememobong described the allegation as “a pedestrian and lazily cobbled narrative, fit only for comedy.”
In a statement he issued to Journalists,
the PDP image maker said,”there is absolutely no truth in the allegation that the PDP and other respondents are attempting to tamper with any evidence, whatsoever. The evidence tendered by the Petitioner have been duly marked and recorded by the court and therefore are now the property of the court, kept in safe custody.
“These documents, most of them being public documents, exist in several copies, with only the Certified True Copies lodged in the Tribunal and therefore cannot be tempered with.
“The nearest to what could have been called tampering with evidence, was done by the Petitioner’s Counsel, who was reprimanded in open court for demanding for and handling exhibits, when it was not yet time for that.
“We wish to subtly intimate the APC that one does not need an avalanche of evidence to win a case and the dumping of evidence on the Tribunal is not a mark of legal craftsmanship.”
“Furthermore, it is the truth that while the Petitioner’s legal team have sought for and changed their petition more than twice, the final amended copy filed on 17th of June 2019,our defence has been constant and unchanging, on what basis will we then attempt to tamper with evidence? He queried.
He further said, “The APC must learn to live with that painful reality. The Tribunal has conducted her business,so far, under a very peaceful environment and there is nothing to warrant the relocation of the tribunal, except in pursuit of ignoble purposes.Is it not amazing that the same APC, through their Governorship Candidate cum ‘walking stick’ negotiator and their famed National Comedian addressed a Press Conference immediately after the elections and claimed that they won in 26 local government areas and that they will head to the tribunal to reclaim their victory, by presenting results to show where and how they won? Most surprisingly, both in their petition and oral evidence no mention was made of their alleged victory in the 26 LGAs, rather they claimed that they won in only two LGAs(Etim Ekpo and Essien Udim).
