…calls 19 out of 1169 witnesses
…INEC dumps Akpabio: says not ready for defence
How we rigged Akpabio’s election-Witness tells tribunal

Embattled former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio on Thursday gave up the legal battle in the suit challenging his election as the winner of the March 28,2015 Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district seat. He begged the court to allow him end his defence with the testimony of his 19th witness. He initially boasted he intends to call 1169 witnesses. Akpabio ended his defence without himself appearing or testifying at the tribunal after laying claim to an election result of 450,000 votes, one of Nigeria’s highest result for a senatorial seat. His case worsened when the 2nd Respondent (INEC) told the court they are not ready to start their defence. The tribunal approved Friday, September 18th,2015 for the 3rd Respondent (PDP) to open their defence.
Meanwhile, shocking details of how the PDP rigged the March 28,2015 Akwa Ibom North West senatorial election for Akpabio emerged on Thursday on the 1st Respondents sixth day of defence at the tribunal.
Testifying before the tribunal, Emmanuel Udoh from Ikono told the court that he voted in the election and the PDP being the most popular political party in the area since 1999 won. He claimed he was at his polling unit till election result was announced and pasted.
Asked by counsel to the petitioner, Chief Assam Assam SAN, to tell the court the result as was announced he claimed he has no idea. He was given his polling unit card reader report to announce the total number of accredited voters. Failed accreditation was 170 while successful accreditation was 59 totalling 229 but the result as entered into the result sheet and announced was 476 as total number of accredited voters with PDP alone allocated 409 votes. During cross examination he told the tribunal that Monday Ukpabio was his PDP unit agent but when shown the result sheet he admitted no such name existed but only a signature. He contradicted himself again when asked if he knew Prof Ini Udoka. He admitted that he was the former member representing Ikono /Ini Federal constituency and that he massively defeated Hon Ikwo Inyang of the PDP.
Also testifying, Imekan Ben from Ukanafun said election held in his unit, Government Primary School, Ikot Oku Osung, Northern Ukanafun Ward 4. His ward result was shown him. No unit had any result but he told the tribunal he won’t be surprised that there was no results entered into Form EC8A because there was election.
On his part, Itoro Nicolas Essien from Obot Akara LGA said election held in his polling unit and he voted. He told the court he was the PDP party agent for Village Square Abiakpo Nkap Unit 5 but denied signing the return sheet. His unit result sheet was mutilated but he told the court he only saw a dash. The Card Reader report showed 95 successful accreditation and 40 failed accreditation totalling 135 but 480 was allocated to the PDP.
Another witness, Isreal Ebenezer Udo from Ukanafun told the tribunal he voted after being accredited. His polling unit, Village Square, Nyak Iba in Southern Ukanafun Ward 2 had 84 successful accreditation and 44 failed accreditation totalling 128 but he admitted that the result was inflated to 417 as total number of accredited voters and 410 as total votes cast with the PDP allocated 398 votes.
Similarly, Endurance Johnson from Ukanafun admitted he was accredited and voted in the election. He claimed the Card Reader at a point parked off totally resulting in three forms of accreditation; one by Card Reader, the second manually when the Card Reader fails and the third when the Card Reader parked off totally but his claim was punctured when Card Reader report showed successful accreditation of 146 and 168 failed accreditation totalling 314 which corresponds with the 314 written on the result sheet with no proof a card Reader parking off as he alleged. His testimony brought to an end Akpabio’s six day defence with 19 witnesses out of 1169 initially billed to testify. The 3rd Respondent is expected to open their defence on September 18,2015.