The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Chief Godswill Akpabio, today ended his defence at the Akwa Ibom State National and State Houses of Assembly Tribunal sitting at the Customary Court, Dutse Alhaji, Abuja.

Senator Akpabio, who is also the Minority Leader of the Senate, at the close of his defence called 19 witnesses from across the 10 local government areas which make up the senatorial district.

All the witnesses said in unison that they participated in the National Assembly elections which they said were free, fair and peaceful. They also confirmed that they had no doubt in their minds that they voted for Chief Akpabio as a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Inibehe Okorie, had approached the tribunal to challenge the election of Chief Akpabio on the grounds that elections were not held across the senatorial district. He also harped on a clerical error to claim Chief Akpabio was not the candidate of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

On the day he closed his defence, Mr Emmanuel Udoh from Ikono testifying as a witness told the tribunal that he participated and voted in the election which PDP won because of the popularity of the party and its candidate, Chief Akpabio, who he said had performed excellently as Governor.

Also appearing as a witness, Mr Imekan Ben, from Ukanafun, said elections were held in his unit at Government School, Ikot Oku Osung, Northern Ukanafun Ward 4. He said there was no doubt in the minds of the people that Chief AKpabio was the candidate of the party.

On his part Nicholas Essien from Obot Akara said elections were held in his unit at Village Square, Abiakpo Nkap Unit 5 where he served as an agent of the PDP. He admitted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) used both the card reader and manual accreditation where the card reader failed.

Similarly, both Israel Ebenezer Udo and Endurance Johnson from Ukanafun told the Tribunal that elections in their areas were free, fair and peaceful and the people voted massively for Chief Akpabio.

PDP and INEC are also expected to call several witnesses in defence of their cases at the tribunal.

•Photo shows Senator Akpabio.

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