Tension in Akwa Ibom as Appeal Court annuls Gov Udom Emmanuel’s election

Tension has enveloped Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital as the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria, a few moments ago nullified the election of Governor Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The five justices of the appellate Court delivered their judgment on the four appeals before the panel, having examined the briefs and final addresses of the two main parties, the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and annulled the governorship election in the 31 Local Government Areas of the state.
Governor Udom Emmanuel, the main challenger ‎and PDP candidate was seeking to set aside the judgment of the Election Tribunal in favour of Umana O. Umana of the APC, while the latter wanted the Appeal Court to effectively remove the incumbent and make him the governor or in the alternative order a fresh election in the state.

There had been an uneasy calm which enveloped the residents of Uyo in late October, following the final verdict which was passed concerning the petition against the Akwa Ibom state governor of the Peoples Democratic Party, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, at the state governorship election tribunal.
Today’s verdict has further heightened the tension in the state capital and its environs, against the backdrop of claim by the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, that the party was determined to take over the governorship of the state through the courts.
Supporters of Governor Emmanuel believe that Oyegun’s statement was a dress rehearsal for a final take over of Akwa Ibom, prompting fears in their campaign ahead of the verdict which has turned out to be an annulment of the governorship elections in all 31 LGAs of the state.
The Court ordered a rerun of the election across the state within 90 days. Whether Udom Emmanuel will approach the Supreme Court remains to be seen.