By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
A former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Akwa Ibom , Uwemedimo Nwoko, (SAN) has stated that the status of Mr Umo Eno as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in next weekend’s guber election in the state is not in dispute.
According to him, only the uninformed without sound legal knowledge and background, could peddle the falsehood that Eno has not been cleared as the candidate of the PDP.
Nwoko, who is the Head of the Legal team of Eno told newsmen last weekend in Uyo that the Court of Appeal had made a final pronouncement on the matter in respect of the Michael Enyong case while the Supreme Court rested the matter in respect of Akan Okon’s case.
“At the moment, there is no court process filed against our client before us. So, all the court cases concerning Umo Eno’s candidature, the final decisions have been made, and there is no dispute as to that again.
“If you visit INEC website now, you would find out the final correction that was field by INEC as regards Umo Eno, where his name was restored and INEC went as far as putting that it is by the order of Court that his name was restored on the INEC platform.
“It was wrong for INEC to have even contemplated replacing his name on their website and I confronted them through a letter and they discovered their error. That is why they quickly corrected their error.
“I have come across a writeup shared by some characters that do not know anything about law. The issue of cross-appeal is nowhere on any record anywhere.
“Umo Eno was already seated as candidate of the PDP, and then this mischievous judgement by the Federal High Court came in. Infact that was why the Court of Appeal was very angry with the judgement of that High Court and awarded a punitive cost of N1 million against Mike Enyong.
“The Court held that this matter ought not to have come to any court again, having been decided by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. So, the cost awarded was to serve as deterrent to the person (Mike Enyong) and others who might want to toe the same line.” He explained.
While reechoing his earlier stance that Enyong should make himself available to the Police for investigation, Nwoko disclosed that Enyong had secured an exparte order of the court on the 20th of February, 2023, restraining the police from arresting him, saying the order which has a 7 day lifespan had elapsed and the lawmaker again declared wanted by the Police.
He said a case of multiple forgery against him remained pending at an Abuja High Court and the PDP who is the complainant in the case has been granted leave to be joined in the matter.
“Mike Enyong has been declared wanted by the Police. There is a valid warrant of arrest signed by a Magistrate. PDP is now a party to that suit, because he mischievously filed that suit raising the issue that PDP brought before the police and left out PDP in the suit.” Nwoko maintained.
