Supreme Court Restores Akpabio As A’Ibom APC Senatorial Candidate
Category: Nigeria News
The Supreme Court on Friday restored former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill
Akpabio, as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Akwa
Ibom North Senatorial District.
In a unanimous judgment delivered
by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the apex court upheld the judgment of the Federal
High Court in Abuja which in September last year granted verdict in favour of
the immediate past minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
READ: Appeal Court Affirms Akpabio’s Election, Says He Was Duly Nominated And Elected
Saulawa after reviewing the arguments canvassed by Akpabio said that his
appeal was meritorious and therefore was allowed.
The judgement
was on an appeal filed by Akpabio challenging the judgement of the Court of
Appeal Abuja, which set aside his victory at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Arriving at the decision, the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgement said each
of the 10 issues formulated by the appellant was resolved in his favour, and
against the respondent.
It held that the court below lacked
jurisdiction to entertain the case, adding that whatever decision arrived at
by the court amounted to nullity.
READ: The Coward Called Godswill Akpabio - FFK Writes On Alleged Governor's Defection
It would be recalled that the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal had
on November 14, 2022, set aside the judgment of Federal High Court Abuja,
removing Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Akwa Ibom
North West Senatorial District.
A three-member panel of justices led by Justice Danlami Senchi held that
Akpabio failed to file a proof of arguments within the time provided by the
rules.
The panel further ruled that Akpabio, having contested the
presidential primary of the APC, could not participate in the valid primary of
the party held on May 27 and monitored by the Independent National Electoral
Commission which produced Udom Ekpoudom as a candidate.
READ: Court Sacks Akpabio As APC Senatorial Candidate
But Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court Abuja, had on September
22, 2022, ordered INEC to reinstate Akpabio as APC’s candidate, being the
candidate nominated by the party in the second primary of June 9.
The
trial court had directed INEC to accept the former minister of Niger Delta as
the APC flag bearer.
Nwite also ordered INEC to publish Akpabio’s
name as APC senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North/West Senatorial District
in 2023, stating that the commission acted illegally by refusing to accept and
publish the former governor’s name when it was submitted to it by the APC as
its candidate.
READ: Akpabio Flown Abroad For Treatment
He added that Akpabio was validly nominated as the Akwa Ibom
North/West Senatorial District candidate of the APC from the primary conducted
by the party’s National Working Committee on June 9, 2022.
The
trial judge faulted INEC for electing to monitor the May 27 primary, conducted
by an illegal faction of the party led by Augustine Ekanem as against the June
9, primary authorized and conducted by the APC NWC.
NAN
READ: Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio Sacked From The Senate - Report
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