I have no hand In Elisha Abbo's Tribunal Ruling - Akpabio

By Abdul SULE (Abuja) and Missang AKPET (Calabar)

The Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio has refuted claims that he influenced the court judgement that sacked Senator Elisha Abbo from the senate as member Representing Adamawa North.

Delivering judgment on Monday at the appeal court, a three-member panel presided over by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, ordered Elisha Abbo to vacate the seat and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to Amos Yohanna as the duly elected lawmaker representing Adamawa North in the National Assembly citing that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed that there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.

Abbo in response to the judgement described the outcome as a couple on democracy while accusing the Senate President to be behind his defeat at the court.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate, Hon Eseme Eyiboh expressed shock at the claims of Senator Abbo describing it as unfounded and provocative.

He stated that Democracy is founded in the rule of law and for one to accuse one of the strong agents of democracy in the person of the senate president is and insult to Democracy. He said “It is only a diseased and uninformed mind that will not believe that the outcome of any court proceeding is a function of the evaluation of facts and evidence within the province of the rule of law.

“It is uncharitable for Senator Abbo to pour his frustrations on Senator Akpabio or anyone else and his action betrays the bile he has for Senator Akpabio".

“Senator Akpabio for emphasis has no ill-will towards any of his distinguished colleagues and as he has said in the past, the embers of the leadership election have been buried and replaced by the fraternal bond of nation building he shares with the overwhelming majority of senators" he added.