The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, situated in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has affirmed the victory of Martins Esin, a member of the House of Representatives, in the National Assembly Election held on February 18.
Esin, who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, currently represents the Oron/Mbo/Okobo/Udung Uko/Urueoffong Oruko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Youth Development.
In the judgment delivered on Friday regarding a petition filed by Mr. Robinson Edumoh and the All Progressives Congress, the tribunal’s presiding judge, Justice Kudirat Jose, concluded that the petitioner failed to substantiate any of the allegations, including overvoting, the absence of electronic result transmission, widespread irregularities, and non-compliance with Electoral Act provisions.
Concerning the overvoting allegation, the tribunal found that the petitioner had only made a claim without providing supporting evidence, emphasizing that the legal burden of proof rested on the petitioner and could not be shifted to the respondent.
Regarding the electronic transmission of election results, the judge pointed out that the law did not mandate it as a requirement.
The tribunal judge further noted that the petitioner failed to establish any discrepancies between the results announced at the Local Government collation centers and those declared at the polling units.
As a result, the tribunal dismissed the petition and affirmed the validity of Martins Esin’s election.