GODSWILL Akpabio, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, says he plans to approach the Supreme Court to seek redress over Appeal Court judgement nullifying his election as All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Akwa Ibom North West in the 2023 poll.
Akpabio, also the Vice-Chairman, APC Presidential Campaign Council, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Uyo.
The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to the judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, directing INEC to delist my name from its list as the APC senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in the 2023 election.
“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,” he said.
“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, Akwa Ibom and Nigeria at large.”
The judgement
The Court of Appeal had on Monday nullified Akpabio’s election by setting aside a judgment of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish his (Akpabio’s) name as the APC candidate for the district as submitted by the party.
The Court of Appeal instead unanimously declared Udom Ekpoudom as the duly elected Senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 Senatorial election for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District stressing that the APC senatorial primary held on May 27, 2022 was valid.
The judgement of the three-member panel of justices read by Justice Danlami Senchi held that Akpabio failed to file a proof of arguments within the time provided by the rules.
The court ordered that Mr Ekpoudom, a retired deputy inspector general of police, be recognised by INEC as the validly elected candidate of the APC for the district, having participated and won the APC primary held on 27th May.
The court also held 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 Ekpoudom as a candidate.
