Supreme Court affirms creation of wards by Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC)
The Supreme court of Nigeria affirmed the judgement of the high court and court of appeal, affirming and validating the creation of new wards by Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission AKISIEC in 2020.
Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN, and Utibe Nwoko Esq. represented AKISIEC in the case which the plaintiffs first filed against AKISIEC at the high court and which judgement was given in favour of AKISIEC. Not being satisfied, the plaintiffs went to the court of appeal in which a special court of appeal was set up and His Lordship affirmed the judgement of the court of first instance. The appellants not still satisfied went to the supreme court which affirmed and validated the position of AKISIEC as being constitutionally empowered to create wards.
With the judgement of the supreme court of Nigeria, the newly created 39 wards have come to stay in Akwa Ibom State. Therefore the total number of wards for conduct of Local Government Election in Akwa Ibom State is 368 (three hundred and sixty eight wards) with a total of 4,354 ( four thousand three hundred and fifty four) polling units.
The Chairman of AKISIEC Hon. Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak expressed profound thanks to His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel for supporting not only the expansion of the electoral space in the State but also the Legal process. Elder Ikoiwak Commends the team of legal experts who pursued the case, who Pursued the matter from the high court through the court of appeal to the supreme court. Their actions have not only enhanced our legal process but brought enlightenment to many people in the State on the Nigerian electoral process.
It is pertinent to state that there is no such thing as AKISIEC ward or INEC ward because INEC has no ward in Nigerian electoral system except in the federal capital territory, Abuja.
