Three lawyers battle to represent PDP in matter at A’Court, Calabar

The bickering of three counsels representing the People Democratic Party (PDP) in a matter between Bassey Albert Akpan and three others in the Court of Appeal almost stalled court proceedings.

When the matter in Appeal No CA/C/87/2017 and Suit No FHC/UY/CS.1087/2015 was called, three different lawyers announced their presence for the second respondent (PDP).

Two of the lawyers who came from Abuja announced their representation of PDP, while the other who has been handling the matter from the lower court, Godwin Umo and who came from Akwa Ibom State announced his representation of the same PDP.

While the three lawyers jostled for representation, the matter was stalled for several minutes until the Justices waged in and said if the party failed to present one counsel, they would have no option but to choose a counsel for the party. They however, stepped down the matter for two hours to enable the counsels’ sort themselves out.

Interestingly, Godwin Umo, Counsel to the PDP AkwaI bom State told the court that he saw the two lawyers in the court room for the first time and that he was not informed of what they came for until they announced their representation. He said he was surprised because he had been representing the PDP in the lower court (Federal High Court) without anybody coming up from PDP Abuja.

On resumption, the three lawyers agreed that Godwin Umo who had represented the party at the lower court should represent them for today and at the next adjourned date; the issue of who will represent the party may have been sorted.

It would be recalled that Bassey Albert Akpan, the appellant who is in the Senate, was aspiring to become AkwaIbom state governor before now and seven others were jostling to become the senator for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District, Hon Bassey Etim, Ita Enang, Usen Obong Akpabio, Dr Dan Jack, Hon Ekpe James, Mrs Anita Binta Halina and Ini-Obong Ekpenyong.

The seven contested for the party primary in Uyo, Hon Bassey Etim scored 150 votes, Ita Enang 21 votes, Usen Obong Akpabio 70, Dr Dan Jack one vote, Hon Ekpe James 36, Mrs Anita Binta Halina 15 and Ini-Obong Ekpenyong 33 votes.

Few days to the primary election, when nomination had closed; the name of Albert Bassey was brought in as one of the contestant for that position. He scored 27 votes, fifth position but on Dec 9th another result was announced and he was declared winner.

Mba Ukweni, SAN who represented Hon Bassey Etim told our correspondent shortly after matter was adjourned to October 11, 2017 that the party brought another result on the 9th of Dec, 2014 and that there was another primary which indicated that Albert Bassey Akpan that took the 5th position was now the winner of the primary election.

Hon Bassey Etim challenged that primary in the Federal High Court, Uyo and on 27 Feb, 2017, the Federal High Court gave judgment in favour of Bassey Etim, declaring him as the Senator to represent Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District and ordered Albert to return whatever he has earned on that seat as a Senator to B