For Umana Umana, we have not started online reporting

The Akwa Ibom State 

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governorship election tribunal hearing may have set a new template for instant digital news reporting.     

 

The legal battle is between the then All Progressives Congress candidate, Umana Umana and Gov. Udom Emmanuel, who won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

 

With Twitter, Facebook and several other digital platforms, those who are interested in the court procedure could monitor live the process from any part of the world as it unfolds Abuja.

 

Umana’s team seemed to have resolved to capture the entire excise in a permanent form – digital space.

 

On Wednesday morning when the tribunal resumed, Umana and his team went to Facebook, Twitter and campaign portal, announcing their expectations for the day and the format they expected the procedure to take.

 

“Tribunal to resume today while the petitioners' forensic experts are to testify,” reported several Twitter handles.

 

They followed up with second-by-second reports on legal documents that were tendered before the tribunal and remarks by the presiding judge.

 

In addition to hundreds of social media platforms that have been reporting the matter, the team has also created a new Twitter handle – @TrackAkwaIbom – which is dedicated to live reporting of the hearing.

 

The ex-SSG’s personal Twitter handle and campaign digital platforms also give live updates.   

Ahead of Wednesday’s sitting, Umana urged his supporters to prepare for the rerun of the election.

 

The politician said the people could confidently start preparing for the rerun of the election, as justice was underway.

 

“Go back to your various units and confidently start talking about the pending new rerun election. Justice will come soon,” he tweeted.

 

Earlier, Umana tweeted, “We have come this far as the first bold and honest step in Akwa Ibom project for openness and accountability as we seek justice. The justice is: cancellation and election rerun so that the peoples’ voice will be heard regardless of what outcome will be.

 

“Last week ended on a high for us. The evidence presented in the court made the most ardent supporter of Godswill Akpabio cringe.

 

“The videos sent a chill to viewers as they watched in horror the arrogance and impunity that denied Akwa Ibom the right to vote.”

 

Like Umana, a former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, had reportedly told Emmanuel and his cabinet to start preparing for a fresh election.

 

Online media reports said the ex-governor told Emmanuel in a closed-door meeting to expect a cancellation of the election.

In the past few days, the reports have been re-posted by several APC members. They said Akpabio had in the remark admitted that the elections in the state were, indeed, rigged.