Umo Eno: Allegation of certificate forgery lacks substance – MPM
Maintain Peace Movement, MPM, has dismissed the recent legal suit instituted by one of the governorship aspirants in the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Akan Okon, alleging certificate forgery by Pastor Umo Eno as lacking in substance and “an utter vicious and malicious smear campaign of a desperado.”
This is contained in a statement signed by the National Chairman of the group, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem on Thursday, 9 June 2023.
The group said its attention was drawn to the Suit No. FHC/UY/CS/110/2022 between Akan Ekpe Okon V PDP & 2 Others pending at the Federal High Court, Uyo, and the “unhealthy insinuations in the public space especially through the social media,” maintaining that there was no substance in it.
MPM called on teeming supporters of Pastor Umo Eno and members of the public to “disregard the malicious and vicious smear campaign by persons who think they must be the Governor of Akwa Ibom State by hook and by crook as our team of lawyers are giving suitable responses to the suit.”
“There is no substance in the claims of the Plaintiff as same is an utter vicious and malicious smear campaign of a desperado. Prior to the institution of the suit, the Plaintiff, in apparent attempt to stop the issuance of the Certificate of Return (COR) to Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, had prayed the NWC of the PDP through the National Chairman in a petition signed by his brother, Senator Anietie Okon to disqualify him,” part of the group’s statement read.
The group recalled that the Petition aforesaid was investigated by the Party and dismissed as bereft of and lacking in substance while describing the case as “a classic case of witch-hunt embarked upon by a man who scored THREE (3) paltry stray votes at the State Congress of our Party where Pastor Umo Bassey Eno scored a total of Nine Hundred and Ninety Three (993) votes.”
“Mr. Akan Ekpe Okon, is displaying an extreme and classic case of desperation as it is challenging to see how he can sustain the suit in the face of the impeccable credentials of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno.
“We will not say more on this matter as the subject matter is already sub judice. However, we advise our supporters, and indeed members of the public to disregard this malicious and vicious smear campaign by persons who think they must be the Governor of Akwa Ibom State by hook and by crook as our team of lawyers are giving suitable responses to the suit.,” the group concluded.
