Bassey Etim’s counsel submitted fake delegates list, result to court – PDP

…as Party provides Court with Authentic List, result sheet

…clears Air on Multiple Expression of Interest by Aspirants

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Assembly primaries Screening and Nomination Committee for Akwa Ibom in the build up to the 2015 National Assembly elections, Mr Olatunbosun Osuntokun on Friday (20th January, 2017) told the Federal High Court, Uyo in the on-going pre-election matter between one Bassey Etim and Distinguished Senator Bassey Albert representing Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial District who doubles as Chair, Senate Committee on Gas that the delegates list and result sheet earlier submitted by the plaintiff’s (Bassey Etim) Counsel, Barr. Taiwo Abe were fake and accordingly submitted the authentic list and result Sheet as it were to the court.

Osuntokun said “As the Chairman of the National Assembly primaries Committee for Akwa Ibom in December, 2014, I present and adopt the authentic delegates list that was used for the election and the result of that nomination exercise”. The judge, Mr. Riman had accordingly accepted the list and result as evidence after satisfactory responses from the questions posed by the plaintiff’s counsel.

Earlier, the lead Counsel to the defendant (Distinguished Senator Bassey Albert Akpan), Chief Offiong Offiong SAN who appeared with eight other lawyers had presented the electoral and PDP guidelines which were accordingly admitted as evidence and was obliged by the judge given section 83 (2) of the Evidence Act as expatiated by the lead counsel to the defendant.

The PDP official during the National Assembly primaries in Akwa Ibom had also told the court that he appointed Mr. Nse Peter and Barr. Chris Okorie as Electoral and Returning officers respectively based on recommendations by the Akwa Ibom State party leadership led by Obong Paul Ekpo who endorsed the list of the officers on his behalf upon his request and posted the officers who are party members to constituencies and Senatorial Districts other than their own to ensure fairness to all aspirants.

He also pointed out that he personally went round the three Senatorial Districts to supervise orderly conduct of the primaries on that day.

The PDP official who is undoubtedly the star witness in the matter had also painstakingly explained to the court that “Given PDP guidelines, an aspirant can express interest for as many elective offices as he so desires but what matters is the one he actually presents himself for screening and subsequent primary election. He gave an illustration of an uncle of his in Ekiti State who bought forms for Governorship, Senatorial and House of Representatives but ended up contesting for Senate primary, won and by today, is a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” Osuntokun noted.

The PDP”s bigwig responses to questions posed by the plaintiff’s counsel, Barr. Taiwo Abe had cleared doubts in the minds of the judge and others who have been following the proceedings with regard to one or two grey areas in the responses of the defendant’s earlier witnesses, Messrs Usenobong Akpabio, Chris Okorie and Moses Essien. Meanwhile the Judge had cautioned the plaintiff’s lawyer, Barr Taiwo Abe who was impolite to his superior that whenever Chief Offiong SAN was on his feet he should seat down until the SAN is through as that was a norm in the court room. 

The lead counsel to the defendant, Chief Offiong Offiong SAN had earlier submitted Senator Albert’s receipt for purchase of the Senatorial form and screening certificate by the party which the plaintiff’s lawyer said ‘’No objection my Lord” and was accordingly admitted by the Judge as evidence. Offiong had in the twilight of the proceedings informed the court that there are still three other witnesses to appear before the court in subsequent proceedings. From all indications, Obong Paul Ekpo, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the party will be one of the witnesses. The case has been adjourned till 8th and 9th of February, 2017. 

Reacting to the day’s proceedings, a Lawyer who was in court on an independent observation of proceedings, Mr. Gabriel Akpan said that there is actually a direction in the case now going by the testimonies so far given which has indicated that nobody can assume to be nominated by a political party for an elective office except and unless he presents himself for both the screening and the primary election of that party which nominates him. 

’’By the PDP’s reaction in the matter today, it is understood that the question as to who won the Senatorial primary election in Uyo Senatorial District conducted on the 7th of December,2014 is answered and it was Distinguished Senator Albert Akpan who won the nomination after presenting himself for screening and subsequent primary election without being subjudiced’’ Akpan quipped. 

He also added that by the day’s proceedings, it became clearer that anybody who loses in the primary of one political party can move to another political party to aspire and contest like in the case of Prince Nsikak Okon who contested the Senate primary in PDP which was earlier conducted and after losing out, later moved to APC to contest their senate primary or in the case of Mr Umana Okon Umana who aspired for Governorship on PDP platform and later did not take part in the primary but subsequently became Governorship Candidate of APC after winning the APC’s governorship primary in Akwa Ibom.