The grassroots legislators in Akwa Ibom State have described the relocation of the state governorship election petition tribunal to Abuja, as “a challenge, uncalled for, misleading and gross violation of the constitution,” and demanded for “immediate relocation of the sittings of the tribunal back to Uyo, the state capital, without further delay.”

The 392 councilors, under the aegis of Conference of Akwa Ibom State Councilors, who rose from an extra-ordinary meeting at the weekend, pointed out that any attempt to “run short of constitutional provision in a judicial process, amounts to holding something on top of nothing.”

In a statement by the councilors in Uyo, signed by the conference Chairman, Mr. Charles Bassey, its Secretary, Mr. Nkereuwem James, and Director of Publicity, Mr. Bassey Bassey, they frowned at what they called, “illegal and unholy” relocation of the state election petition tribunal to Abuja, describing it further as “panicky and deliberate attempt to dissuade” the fair and unfettered conduct of the tribunal.

The councilors noted that the distance between Abuja and Uyo impeded the teeming witnesses across the wards in the state who were ready to testify to the authenticity of the result of the April 11, 2015 elections as declared by the INEC, and called for the immediate return of the tribunal to the state, where the elections were actually held “as stipulated in section 285, subsection (2) of the Nigerian Constitution.”

The 329 councilors insisted that there was no security threat in the state “as insinuated by the opposition,” maintaining that, as the closest government to the grassroots people, they could “not afford to fold their arms and watch the rights of majority of the people being undermined and unjustifiably frustrated.”

News Express reports that many other groups and individuals in Akwa Ibom, including the immediate-past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko, have equally called for immediate relocation of the election petition tribunal back to Akwa Ibom, describing its “uncelebrated movement to Abuja,” as “illegal, unjust and blatantly unconstitutional.”

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