Victor EzejaTussle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Akwa Ibom North West has in the interim been laid to rest with the Abuja Appeal Court judgement that nullified Godswill Akpabio’s candidacy.
The appellate court on Monday held that Udom Ekpoudom was the duly elected Senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 Senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
The court set aside a judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court which had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish Akpabio’s name as the APC candidate for the district as submitted by the party.
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The Federal High Court judge, Emeka Nwite, had said that INEC “cannot choose and impose a candidate on a political party”.
Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, had contested for the APC presidential ticket, and alongside others like Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, lost to Bola Tinubu.
Reportedly, a senatorial primary was held by the APC on May 27, 2022, where Ekpoudom was said to have emerged as the senatorial candidate of the party for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
Ekpoudom, a retired deputy inspector general of police, was recognised by INEC as the validly elected candidate of the APC for the district.
According to the immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, the APC leadership submitted the name of Akpabio to INEC.
The APC leadership, both at national and the state level, were said to have recognised Akpabio after another senatorial primary was hurriedly organised by a faction of the party in the state.
Igini in an interview published by Vanguard said the primary election that produced Ekpoudom was monitored by INEC officials and Akpabio never participated in the exercise as he was pursuing the APC presidential ticket at the time.
He described the primary purportedly conducted by the APC leadership that produced Akpabio as the senatorial candidate, as a “Nicodemus senatorial primary.”
“There are official records with dates and sequence of events from INEC monitoring officers to the INEC Headquarters in Abuja,” Igini stated while maintaining that the election of Ekpoudom was valid.
On why Akpabio’s election was nullified, a three-man panel of the appellate court led by Justice Danlami Senchi held that the former Akwa Ibom governor failed to file a proof of arguments within the time provided by the rules.
Meanwhile, Akpabio who is also the vice chairman of the APC presidential campaign council has said he will appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court.
In a statement released on Tuesday, he said his lawyers have commenced scrutinising the contents of the judgment for the purpose of seeking appropriate legal redress.
“I am aware that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has the final say in these matters,” Akpabio said.
He urged all his supporters and members of APC in his constituent to remain calm and law abiding as they continue with their campaigns for the success of the party in the state.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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