By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo
An aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel and a priest in the African Church, Uyo, Reverend Richard Peters has advised governorship candidates in the state whose petitions are in the 2023 elections tribunal to reconsider spending huge resources in pursuit of their case.
Governorship candidates of major opposition parties in the State; The Young Progressives Party,(YPP) the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and the New Nigerian Peoples Party(NNPP) have headed to the tribunal challenging the victory of their opponent in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Pst Umo Eno.
Peters who gave the admonition immediately after Exchange of Pulpit service at The African Church, St Michael’s Cathedral, Uyo reasoned that since the elections had been adjudged free, fair and credible by all stakeholders including the security agents, international independent observers and journalists, the outcome from the tribunal would not be different from the results announced by INEC.
He added that it would amount to a waste of time and resources to embark on adventure that would not yield any positive result even as he urged them to accept the outcome of the result for the overall interest of the state.
While noting that it was their constitutional right to seek redress in court of law in a case they felt aggrieved or shortchanged, Peters said it was not out of place for them to work with the governor-elect for the development of Akwa Ibom People.
According to him, ”the Nigeria constitution has given right to whoever that feels aggrieved or dissatisfied in an election or any matter to seek redress in court. But looking at the reports of the election in Akwa Ibom State, 95% of it points to the fact that the election was free, fair and credible, no case of disenfranchisement.
“The results uploaded in the IREV were the same as found in the unit and ward level and there was no case of manipulation. Besides, all those results submitted were endorsed by the party agents and at no point did any agent said he signed the result under duress, all of them signed voluntarily because it was a clear process.
“I think it will be a waste of time and resources for these candidates to dumb petitions of elections they lost at the tribunal. If they so loved the State, they should accept the olive branch presented by the governor elect, he is ready to welcome good ideas and ready to work with anyone who has the interest of the people at heart.
“I mean, why the unnecessary distraction of going to the tribunal from the state level to tribunal, then to supreme court? at the end of the day resources are being wasted. Why not use those resources to empower your supporters and make their lives meaningful?
“For me, all the candidates were qualified and everybody will not win at the same time, it must always be one person and the people have chosen that person, therefore, others should rally around him.”
