Amid pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the former Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, as the party’s Senatorial candidate ahead of the 2023 elections.
In a judgment on Thursday, Justice Emeka Nwite held that INEC acted illegally by refusing to accept and publish Akpabio’s name after it was sent by APC.
Recall that on August 9, 2022, INEC denied recognising Akpabio and Senate President Ahmad Lawan as APC senatorial candidates.
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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 recognise them.
But in a recent judgment, the court ordered INEC to accept and publish Akpabio’s name as APC senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North/West senatorial district in 2023.