An election petition survey in Nigeria has revealed that the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio's senatorial election petition is the most widely reported in the history of the country.
According to the survey, conducted by The Street Journal Magazine, "the history of election petitions in Nigeria started from the Second Republic.
Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo had severally approached the tribunal to upturn his opponent's victory in his favour. The candidate of the then ruling party, Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was declared winner.
Meanwhile, many politicians had in the past gone to tribunals to reclaim their mandates as well.
That of the immediate past Governor of Osun State, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola remains one of the most celebrated petitions in Nigeria's political history.
Aregbsola's electoral petition against Ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2010 was massively celebratated by the Nigerian media just like that of the present Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi against former Governor Segun Oni in 2010. Interestingly, both went in favour of the petitioners.
Nigerians at home and their families abroad have been kept abreast with the nuggets of the procedures in the tribunal, thus making it one of the most widely covered election petitions by media houses in Nigeria".
Senator Akpabio is challenging Senator Chris Ekpeyong's victory at the last Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District election.
"While Akwa Ibomites eagerly await the Election Petitions Tribunal's verdict, which might be delivered any time from now, there might be a repeat of the 2010 scenario that made Aregbesola and Fayemi governors; only that this time, it will be at the senatorial level", the survey concluded.
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