Court Orders INEC To Announce Godswill Akpabio As APC Senatorial Candidate

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to publish, and accept Godswill Akpabio, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in next year’s election.

It was reported that the electoral body had omitted the names of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs from its published lists, saying they did not participate in the primary elections.

Both Lawan and Akpabio had contested the APC Presidential primaries.

However, after losing, both of them were listed as senatorial candidates by the APC, but INEC refused to recognize them.

Despite efforts by the APC to cede the tickets to Lawan and Akpabio, INEC, on July 9, insisted that Bashir Machina and Udom Ekpoudom remain the APC senatorial candidates for the districts.

However, in a judgment on Thursday, Justice Emeka Nwite, declared INEC’s position illegal.

According to the Judge, INEC had no reason to reject Akpabio since his name was sent to it by the APC as its candidate.