Election Tribunal: PDP denies alleged plot to tamper with evidence

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Akwa Ibom State Chapter has described as baseless and unfounded the allegation by its opponent, the All Progressives Congress (APC) of a plot to doctor the documented court evidence in the ongoing governorship election petition trial.

The APC had in a statement on Saturday signed by its Publicity Secretary, Nkereuwem Eyongekere, claimed credible intelligence at its disposal indicated that the PDP and its respondents’ were making desperate attempts to tamper with the avalanche of exhibits in the tribunal.

But, PDP, through its State publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, dismissed the allegation, explaining that, the exhibits tendered by the petitioner were duly marked and recorded by the court and under the safe custody of the court.

He further explained that these documents, being public documents, have several copies, with only the Certified True Copies lodged in the Tribunal and therefore cannot be tampered with.

His words, “The nearest to what could have been called tampering with evidence, was done by the Petitioner’s Counsel, who was reprimanded in open court for demanding for and handling exhibits, when it was not yet time for that.

“The evidence tendered by the petitioners have been duly marked and recorded by the court and now the property of the court kept in safe custody.

“These documents, most of them public documents exist in several copies lodged in the tribunal and therefore cannot be tampered with. Our defence has been constant and unchanging, on what basis will we then attempt to tamper with evidence?”

“We urge the general public to discountenance the unfounded allegations by the APC, as our Legal team is peopled by very principled and credible Lawyers, who will not in any circumstance, descend to low levels of criminality,” he said.