By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Appeal Court, sitting in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, on Thursday threw out an appeal brought before it against the Cross River State All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate, Senator Edet Bassey, by Senator John Owan Enoh, over the outcome of the APC gubernatorial primaries.
In Suit No: CA/C/337/2022, between Senator Enoh, the appellant and Senator Bassey Edet Otu, the APC and two other respondents, the court averred that the case lacks merit.
Chairman of the three-man Appeal Court panel, Hon Justice J.O. Bada, in company of two other judges, dismissed the case in favour of Senator Otu, insisting that Otu is authentic governorship candidate of the Cross River State APC.
The court declared that the third respondent, Senator Otu was fully cleared to participate in the APC primary, stressing that the mandate given to him by the APC National Working Committee and the lower court was genuine.
Reacting to the judgment, the lead counsel for the appelant, J. A. Dakim, Esq and William Agbor, who refused to explain the next line of action to be taken, in a brief interview with journalists after the pronouncement of the judgment, expressed his dissatisfaction with the judgment, stressing until he makes consultation with his client, he doesn’t have anything to say.
In his remarks, the head of Senator Otu’s legal team, Chief Utum Eteng, in company of other members of the team – Pius Awa, Etim Inyang and Leonard Anyugo – lauded the court for deliverying the judgment in favour of Otu, who APC gave it’s give governorship ticket.
Recall that the Cross River State APC had in it’s gubernatorial primary election, which it held in May 2022, declared Otu, former senator representing Cross River South senatorial district, the winner of the election and emerged as the party’s flag bearer.
Not satisfied with outcome of the party’s primary election, former senator representing Cross River Central senatorial district, Senator Enoh, headed for the Calabar High Court, seeking redress.
But the High Court, after hearing the matter delivered judgement in favour of Senator Otu.
Dissatisfied with the High Court judgment, Senator Enoh headed for the Appeal Court, seeking to upturn the lower court’s decision.
The Appeal Court, however, threw out Enoh’s appeal on Thursday, in it’s judgment which it delivered in favour of Senator Otu, declaring him as the authentic APC governorship candidate in Cross River State.
