Flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), during the April 11Akwa Ibom State Governorship elections, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, was left dismayed as his lead counsel, Chief Wale Olanipekun SAN, was absent in court at Thursday’s sitting, just as second counsel, Dayo Akinlaja who called the shots, offered to be excused for Saturday’s hearing at the state’s Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
“My lord permit me to intimate you that I would not be around on Saturday as I will be meeting my doctor over a medical condition, and I cannot say if my brother Wale Olanipekun will be able to come,” pleaded Akinlaja.
It is not clear why the APC lead counsels are developing nausea for the tribunal only two days after the defense witnesses started testifying, although some analysts attributed this to the frustration encountered following the consistency in the testimonies of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s as well as the Peoples Democratic Party’s witnesses.
At some point, the tribunal judge Sadiq Umar intervened and urged the Akinlaja to be civil in his conduct.
While quizzing Engr. Etido Inyang, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, a disenchanted Akinlaja had asked him if elections on April 11 were peaceful in Ikot Ekpene local government area, to which the witness answered in the affirmative.
On whether the entire Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District recorded a peaceful election, Etido Inyang replied that he was duly accredited in his unit using a card reader and he left after he had voted, and that he learnt from elections updates on the radio that elections were generally peaceful in his senatorial district.
A startled Akinlaja who was obviously running out of patience started shouting at Engr. Etido Inyang, who maintained that he trekked to his polling unit on the Election Day in company of his wife and left after casting his vote.
The petitioner’s lawyer then referred him to a police report that recorded an instance of a man who was killed in Ini local government area as well as another case of gun shots in Obot Akara local government.
He asked Etido Inyang to read the police account, which he did with hesitation while maintaining that he did not witness or hear about the incidents since none of them took place in Ikot Ekpene local government on the day.
The tribunal judge, acting on the suggestion by the 1st respondent’s lead counsel Paul Usoro (SAN) had to call Akinlaja to order and citing relevant sections of the law, urged him to be guided by the fundamental principles established in quizzing witnesses.
The visibly rattled members of the APC camp who came to the Tribunal were discussing the matter in hushed tones. They frowned at the erratic disposition of the lead counsel of the day, Dayo Akinlaja who shouted down at witnesses without necessarily making any point that could advance the case of the APC.
Four other witnesses, including a former Commissioner Ufot Nkangude, also testified telling the tribunal that they voted in a peaceful atmosphere in their respective units.
