AKPABIO, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal from a decision of the Akwa Ibom State Local Government election petition tribunal, holden at Uyo in petition No. LGET/AK/33/98, delivered on 16/2/99 wherein they dismissed the petition of the petitioner who is now the appellant with no order as to cost.
Before going to the tribunal both the petitioner and the 1st respondent were candidates at the last local government chairmanship election at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the People Democratic Party (PDP) respectively.
At the conclusion of the exercise the petitioner scored 9,944 while the 1st respondent scored 15,707 votes and was duly declared the winner, and returned as the Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Council by the 2nd respondent.
The petitioner being dissatisfied with the above result filed an election petition at the tribunal at Ikot Ekpene, as already mentioned above, alleging, inter alia…