Tribunal sacks House of Reps member, Emmanuel Ukpong Udo; Orders rerun

The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, has nullified the election of Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong Udo, member representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the House of Representatives and ordered a rerun in Units where elections did not hold.

The Tribunal declared that the declaration and return of Ukpongudo by INEC was done in violation of clear provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, Regulations and Guidelines for conduct of Election 2022 and Manual for Election Officials 2023.

The Tribunal has ordered a supplementary election in the polling units elections did not hold in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency. Elections are to be conducted in 33 polling units in Ikono/ Ini Federal Constituency to determine the winner of the election in the Federal Constituency.

The judgment of the tribunal lasted from 10am to 12 :30pm. That is over 2hrs 30 minutes.

The Judgment contains six rulings on motions filed by parties which lasted from 10am to 11:15am was read in two-hours thirty – minutes.

In it’s ruling, the Tribunal said that the declaration and return of Hon. Emmanuel Ukpongudo by INEC was done in violation of clear provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, Regulations and Guidelines for conduct of Election 2022 and Manual for Election Officials 2023.

The Tribunal, therefore, ordered a supplementary election in the polling units elections did not hold in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency. The elections are to be conducted in 33 polling units in Ikono/ Ini Federal Constituency to determine the winner of the election in the Federal Constituency.

Recall that Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) was declared winner of the Federal Constituency election by INEC after a supplementary poll was marred by violence, a position the tribunal says is contrary to the electoral law.