AKWA IBOM: APC, PDP ‘quarrel’ over calls for the resignation of election tribunal chairman

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom were both involved in a hot exchange over the latter’s call for the resignation of Justice Jennifer Ijohor, chairman of the National and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in the state.

Both parties were involved in the exchange after the APC in a press conference by the state chairman, Ini Okopido, expressed concerns of bias and conflict of interest on the part of Justice Ijohor in presiding over the tribunal in Akwa Ibom State.

The APC in a statement issued on Saturday said it is not comfortable with Justice Ijohor since her husband Prof. Anthony Ijohor SAN, is one of the stalwarts of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue state.

The APC statement read thus in part: “Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the APC has established that Hon. Justice Jennifer Mbalamen Ijohor, who is the Chairman of Panel 2, National and State House of Assembly Election Petition in Akwa Ibom State, has a strong family relationship with a PDP stalwart, and so, there is a clear conflict of interest in her work as the Chairman of the Tribunal.

“We know for a fact that the husband to Hon. Justice Jennifer Ijohor, Prof. Anthony Ijohor, SAN, is the Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG) under a PDP governor.

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“Prof Ijohor is a strong PDP stalwart in Benue State. Before he was appointed SSG, Prof Ijohor was an Adviser to the PDP Government of Governor Ortom. He holds very strong and critical views about the APC. It is not farfetched if these sentiments are shared between husband and wife.”

The PDP however reacted swiftly to the statement by the APC through its publicity secretary in Akwa Ibom state, Ini Ememobong, in a press statement tagged “APC’s Sustained Imposter syndrome”.

In the statement, PDP said APC’s claims and fears were unfounded and baseless, noting that election petitions are of a special type and therefore not all the rules of civil procedure apply therein.

According to Ememobong, “In the cases mentioned by Mr. Okopido, the petitioners(APC and their candidates) failed or neglected to apply for Pre-trial forms which is in contravention of the provisions of the extant Electoral Act and the consequence is trite- the petition must be dismissed, same being incompetent.

“The law is specific that after the period allowed for filing of a petition, no amendment shall be made except to correct typographical errors. The amendments sought by the APC has the capacity to change the tone and character of their petition- this, the law clearly forbids.”

Ememobong said the APC should not allude the scenario of PCA, Bulkachuwa to that of Justice Ijohor because the two scenarios can be clearly distinguished.

“There is no legal requirement that stipulates membership of a political party as a basis for appointment, unlike the case of the PCA, whose husband’s election to the senate was sponsored by the respondent before him,” the PDP said.

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