Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Elders in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District have again, called on Senate President Bukola Saraki to respect the court judgement nullifying the election of Bassey Albert Akpan as the Senator representing the senatorial district.
Consequently, they have asked that Hon Bassey Etim, be sworn in forthwith having been declared by a Court of competent jurisdiction as the rightful nominee at the Senate primaries of PDP in Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District held on 7th December, 2014.
In an open letter to the Senate President dated June 26, 2017 and signed by Elder Idorenyin Jacot and Hon. John Ekanem, Chairman and Secretary respectively, the Elders pointedly stated thus:
“Since the representation of Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District in the present Senate by Bassey Albert Akpan was nullified by a Court of competent jurisdiction, it behoves the essence of your person and office to inaugurate our Senator-Elect, Rt Hon.Bassey Etim, who was duly certified by INEC on the 6th of March, 2017. Yet, our District remains unrepresented till date,” the letter reads in part.
It will be recalled that sequel to the judgement in favour of Hon. Etim and refusal of Mr Saraki to inaugurate him, the PDP Elders’ Forum in the Senatorial District, had written an Open Letter to the Senate President on March 27, 2017.
In the letter, the Elders posited that Senate President’s refusal to inaugurate Hon Etim, was a “clear contempt of the order of the court”.
They also accused Mr Saraki of backing Bassey Akpan and deliberately frustrating the inauguration of the Senator-Elect
The March letter reads in part, “There is no injunction or stay of execution order against the judgement of Justice F. O. Roman of the Federal High Court, Uyo, which ordered INEC to issue Certificate of Return to Rt Hon Bassey Etim, an order which has been obeyed.
“The same judgement ordered you Sir, to swear in Rt Hon. Bassey Etim, and that is the only subsisting order of any Court.
” It has been herculean tasks trying to stop the mammoth supporters of the Senator-Elect that daily throng his campaign office for onward movement to Abuja for protest to ‘Occupy’ the National Assembly premises.”