By Our Reporter
Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the careless allegations by the All Progressive Congress (APC) that “Chairman of Panel 2 for National and State House of Assembly Election Petition in Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Justice Jennifer Mbalamen Ijohor, is a spouse to Prof. Anthony Ijohor, the Secretary to the Benue State Government under a PDP Governor, would be biased in her work as Chairman of the Tribunal,” is like wasting oxygen on dead people.
Speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, on Monday during a press conference at the party’s Secretariat, the PDP cautioned the State Chairman of the APC, Mr. Ini Okopido, against careless allegations, describing it as “newer levels of paranoia and display of imposter syndrome. We cannot waste our oxygen on dead people.”
The PDP Publicity Secretary said there was no proof of personal relationship between the parties before the Tribunal and the Chairman of the Tribunal, aside from the fact that the Tribunal Chairman is a spouse to Professor Prof. Anthony Ijohor, the Secretary to the Benue State Government.
According to Comrade Ememobong, “There was no evidence to suggest that Professor Ijohor is a card carrying member of the PDP. That he was appointed SSG in Benue does not infer and cannot be construed to mean, that he is a member of the PDP. Membership of a political party is a process and documents exist in witness of same. There is no legal requirement that stipulates membership of a political party as a basis for appointment. The SSG could have been appointed on the basis of his expertise and nothing more.”
Comrade Ememobong further stressed that the rulings of the three man panel, like every other panel or court of like composition, can either be by unanimity or majority.
He explained that the Tribunal Chairman’s vote is not a veto, as it carries the same weight as that of the members.
“Situations abound where the two members have voted against the decision of the chairman and their decision became that of the panel, the recent judgment of the Osun state Governorship election tribunal can refresh our minds on this subject. So if the rulings of the tribunal is against the APC, it is not the position of the judge complained about, but either the unanimous decision or majority decision of the panel,” he explained.
On the issue of amendments sought for and denied the three member by the tribunal (not the Chairman of the Tribunal), Comrade Ememobong said the law is specific that after the period allowed for filing of a petition, no amendment shall be made except to correct typographical errors, saying the amendments sought by the APC has the capacity to change the tone and character of their petition which the law clearly forbids.
The Akwa Ibom PDP Publicity Secretary said “the APC is afraid of the unfolding reality of the judicial confirmation of their woeful electoral loss. The consciousness that the entire country will laugh at their earlier loud mouthed boasts of delivering Akwa Ibom to the APC is gradually settling in.”
The PDP, therefore, urged members of the public to disregard the false claims by the APC and advised them to “put their house, both political and legal, in order.”
