The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, this morning dismissed the petition filed by Ezekiel NYA-ETOK against the election of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Petition was dismissed on the ground of failure to pay the security for cost upon the filing of the petition. The Tribunal held that the failure to pay security for cost in election petition renders the petition incompetent.
Paragraph 2 of the 1st Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022 stipulated payment of Security for cost in every election petition filed. Paragraph 3 of the Practice Direction 2022 also prescribed payment of Security for petitions.
The Petitioners had paid N1Million but sued eleven respondent’s. Paragraph 2 (4) of the 1st Schedule is fatal to the petition.
Failure to pay is fatal. The petition is therefore dismissed for being incompetent.
More details later…