Governor Udom Emmanuel

Justice Sadiq Umar, the Chairman of Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, said that he would not hesitate to summarily try and jail any journalist who misrepresent the tribunal.

Umar spoke on Wednesday at the resumed sitting of the tribunal at the FCT High Court complex, Abuja.

The tribunal is sitting on a petition filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Umana Umana, challenging the election of Gov. Emmanuel Udom.

The judge was irked by a report of an independent television station, (name withheld) that the tribunal had adjourned to Wednesday to rule on application for relocation of the tribunal back to Uyo.

Umar said that the report was “misleading, a misrepresentation of the tribunal and an agenda by the station to put the tribunal into disrepute.’’

He said that the tribunal’s decision was that the date for the ruling on the application for relocation to would be communicated to counsel.

The judge said that he was disturbed few hours after the tribunal openly announced its decision, the misleading report of reserving ruling for Wednesday slammed the station’s airwave.

He, therefore, cautioned that any journalist that misrepresent the tribunal would be tried “ex-parte’’ and sentenced to prison.

“We are disturbed about the report that this tribunal adjourned till today (Wednesday) to rule on application for relocation to Uyo. This is not the decision of this tribunal and I am guided by the recording of that day sitting.

“In my inaugural speech, I had emphasised that journalist must be objective in the report of our activities because I knew it will get to this. I want to sound a note of warning to you all that you must be objective in your reporting because we have to guide our own integrity.

“I will not hesitate to try any culprit ex-parte and to keep such person in Kuje, Keffi or Suleija,’’ he said.

Umar said that he had given instruction to the tribunal registrars to avail any journalist that approach them for the court records any other document or clarifications on issues.

He said that he would also be personally available after every sitting to clarify on proceedings and decisions of the tribunal to any journalist.

Udom had requested that the Tribunal be relocated to the state capital, Uyo.
His request was contained in a motion he filed to challenge the movement of the tribunal to Abuja from Uyo, where it had sat before it was moved on ground of insecurity.

In the motion filed on June 7, the governor argued that the decision to relocate the tribunal from Uyo after its inaugural sitting on May 19 was “in excess of its jurisdiction”.

His lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), stated that lawyers in the case were “inexplicably and without any prior hearing on the matter” informed of the relocation of the tribunal on May 30.

The Lead Counsel to the petitioner, Chief Wole Olanipekun had, however, opposed the application contending that the relocation order was in good faith and for the safety of parties.