We all know the story of Nicodemus in the Bible. The Jewish leader who sneaked to Jesus at night to seek powers and salvation from the Lord of life. He knew the truth, but surreptitiously tiptoed to the supreme Rabbi at an unholy hour to avoid the preying eyes of his hypocritical colleagues. Overtime, Nicodemus has been used as a euphemism for people who try achieving their ambitions surreptitiously, that is through the back door.

One of such persons, is Akan Okon, or how else would you describe a man who polled a paltry three votes in a contest that over 1000 people voted?

For those who are unfamiliar with the matter, Akan Okon says that the two Senior School Certificate results that Pastor Umo Eno parades, are forged and no such candidate by name Umo Eno wrote exams in 1981 and 1983. Akan went further to allege that the exams numbers were fake and clearly not real. To this end, Umo Eno should be declared disqualified by the court while the PDP should be compelled to hand over the ticket to him as the winner.

ALLEGATIONS RAISED BY AKAN OKON
1. Akan Okon alleged that he has met all candidates who wrote WAEC examinations in Nigeria in 1981. None has 15 as first two numbers as all exams numbers that year started with 09.

2. That the signature on Pastor ENO’S certificate was too bold to be that of the chairman of the exams council

3. That the photocopy of Pastor ENO’S certificates he has seen, has a white background and looks fake.

4. And that Pastor Eno spent six years in secondary school instead of five years and as such did not attend secondary school.

5. That the letters SC and SG are supposed to be the only boldened items on certificates and that it is not the case on Pastor Eno’s certificate.

With Paul Usoroh, SAN taking over as the lead counsel of the defense team, the ball has been rolled and counsel to PDP as well as counsel to the Pastor Umo Eno and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, are ready for the Plaintiff to throw everything in his arsenal to show the world how Umo Eno’s certificates are forged. Personally, one wonders what lessons our elders are bequeathing on our younger ones, when we attempt to snatch what we know very well, we do not merit. Losing a political tussle to a colleague who spent barely two years in public office, is enough embarrassment for a man who hovered in five government ministries for over nine years.

When the case came up on Monday, July 18, there was a surprise appearance by Etim Aniekan Akan, another candidate from Itu, who pleaded to be joined in the suit with the plaintiff. The new entrant who scored two votes at the primaries says Akan Okon was not qualified to be the challenger on the matter and that he should be joined in the suit. Justice Okeke is expected to rule on his application this Thursday, July 21.

On Monday, the Counsel to the 2nd Defendant, Paul Usoroh, SAN had applied and withdrawn the earlier statement of defense submitted by Assam Assam,SAN, and applied to tender an amended statement of defense. This was okayed by the court. People would not expect that Paul Usoroh would come into a matter like this without first establishing his own imprimatur, especially fresh from Abuja where he last week led the defense team to a comprehensive walk over against a rag tagged and poorly executed case instituted by Senator Bassey Albert’s surrogates against the PDP. The victory turned out to be a technical knockout as the Senator leaped from the PDP to YPP, a move indicative of retirement from politics. Nobody wins after defecting from PDP in Akwa Ibom State.

Today Akan Okon returns to court to attempt a Nicodemus attempt at the ticket strongly clutched by Pastor Umo Eno, in what has come to be acclaimed as another session of legal gymnastics.

Essien Ndueso, UYO