Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu
PATRICK ABANG Calabar –
The Appeal Court sitting in Calabar has reaffirmed the ruling of the Federal High Court Calabar, which declared Senator Bassey Edet Otu, as the authentic candidate of the All progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River state.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Calabar, had delivered a judgement on suit number “FHC/CA/CS/106/2022”, upholding Senator Prince Bassey Otu, as the authentic candidate, and dismissing the prayers of the plaintiff, Senator John Owan Enoh, who is seeking to disqualify Senator Otu, on the grounds that he wasn’t fully cleared to contest the Party primaries that held in March this year, and that the Court should declare him, (Owan Enoh), as the authentic candidate of the Party.
Delivering the Appeal Judgement in Calabar on Suit number ” CA/C/337/2022″ which had John Owan Enoh (the Appellant) versus All Progressive Congress APC(first respondent), Independent National Electoral Commission INEC(second respondent) and Bassey Edet Otu as (third respondent) the Appeal panel headed by Justice J.O Bada, held that, the October 24,2022 judgement by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court is affirmed.
“In the light of the foregoing, one is able to agree with the decision of the Court and in consequence, resolve the sole issue against the appellant; the judgement of the court delivered on October 24, 2022 by Honorable Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu is hereby affirmed”
Briefing Journalists on the judgement minutes after the Court session, Barrister Utum Eteng, leader of the directorate of Prince Otu campaign organization, said, “It is important to address the issue that, Ntufam Prince Bassey Otu is now given the clean confirmation and authority to go out, and ask the people of Cross River state to give him their votes, come 2023.
“it is a family disagreement, am using this opportunity to call on our distinguished Senator, Owan Enoh, that he has fought enough, he fought in the High Court he lost, to The Court of Appeal he lost’, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. He should give in and come all round and let’s together move Prince Otu to victory”.
However, Counsel to the appellant, J. A Takim, hinted that they would proceed to the Supreme Court.
He “One thing I know is that, we would further test this matter; definitely, we would go to Supreme Court. They are making a copy of the judgement available to me tomorrow, we would look at the judgement and we will have sufficient grounds of Appeal, that we would take to Supreme Court.
“If you look at the guidelines for this election, the words used therein are; You must be fully cleared (he spelled the words as “F-U-L-L-Y”) is there, and if you are to proceed to the National Working Committee(NWC), the law , the APC constitution gave conditions for waiver, we are not saying that the NWC cannot clear him, but did he fulfill the conditions preceded; did he apply? The law says you must apply in writing, in writing, not orally, so there’s no problems, when we get to the Supreme Court, we would abide by the decision of the Supreme Court,” he said.
Also, Barrister Benson Egbanoi, who held the brief of Chief Mike Ozhekome SAN, who is also the lead counsel to the third defendant remarked that, ” I feel very grateful to God; the three man Appeal panel unanimously dismissed the Appeal and affirmed the judgement of the lower Court, confirming, that Senator Prince Bassey Otu is the authentic candidate. If they decide to go to the Supreme court, I can assure you that we will win again. “
The Appeal Court premises was filled with jubilations from Prince Bassey Otu’s supporters who came to witness the court’s judgement, as they chanted “Prince Otu, Back to South”, jumping and jubilating around the court’s premises.
