Former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio is set to challenge the nullification of his candidature as the All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District by the Court of Appeal on Monday.
The Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs is seeking redress to his nullification at the Apex Court (Supreme Court). He has urged his supporters to remain calm and law abiding, and boasted that he will take back his mandate as the APC Candidate at the 2023 Polls. He asked them to continue with their campaign for him.
A statement he personally signed reads: “My attention has been drawn to the judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal Abuja Division, directing the INEC to delist my name from their list as the APC senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in the forth coming 2023 elections.
“It is instructive to mention that I was not a party in the said Appeal though Orders were made against me and my interest.
“Whilst awaiting a copy of the said judgement to be made available to me and any other interested party, it is important to state that I am a Lawyer by training and a law abiding citizen of this country and I am bound by our laws and judgements emanating from our courts including the one under reference
“My Lawyers on my advice and brief have commenced the scrutiny of the contents of the judgement as read, for the purposes of seeking appropriate legal redress.
“I am aware that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has the final say in these matters. I therefore, strongly advise my supporters, APC members and all my constituents to remain calm and law abiding, as they continue their campaigns for the successes of the APC in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria at large.”
The Appeal Court had on Monday nullified Akpabio’s election as the senatorial candidate of the APC for the Akwa Ibom North West District. The appellate court set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio’s name, as the APC candidate for the district as submitted by the party.
The Appeal Court panel ruled that Akpabio, who was a Presidential aspirant of the APC, could not have participated in the valid primary of the party held on 27th May and monitored by INEC, which produced Udom Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, as a candidate.
The Court of Appeal declared Ekpoudom as the duly elected Senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 Senatorial election for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
