Tribunal grants APC order of substitute service on Gov. Udom

By Isaac Job, Uyo

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal holding in Uyo on Monday granted the All Progressive Congress (APC) an order of substituted service on Gov. Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the first respondent in the election petition filed by the All Progressive Party (APC) candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere.

The tribunal under the Chairmanship of Justice A. M. Yakubu, also granted the APC leave to inspect all necessary election materials used during the governorship election listed in the petition. 

Addressing correspondents in Uyo yesterday, the lead counsel to Ekere and the APC, Chief Victor Iyenam, said the party would proceed immediately to paste the service at the PDP state secretariat.

He said that “what we had today was application for substituted service. Efforts to service Gov. Udom Emmanuel failed.

“So today, the court has granted us leave to serve the governor through the PDP office in Uyo. And then the other application was to inspect election materials and the court has also granted us that one.

“So we will get to INEC office to obtain the documents as listed, inspect them and make photocopies. So, those are the two things that came before the tribunal today. The inspection of documents will commence immediately as soon as we receive rule order from the tribunal. What is left now is administrative.”