A gubernatorial hopeful on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom state has asked the Federal Supreme Court in Uyo to annul the party’s gubernatorial primary for breach of law.
the applicant, Ita Enangformer presidential adviser, said that the primaries held on May 26 violate Section 84(1) of the Electoral Law of 2022, since they were not supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mr. Enang, a former senator, also asked the court to annul the nomination of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Akanimo Udofia, because, according to him, Mr. Udofia was not a registered member of the party at the time the primaries were held. .
In addition, he begged the court to prevent the INEC from accepting Mr. Udofia as the party’s candidate for governor.
As an alternative, Mr. Enang urged the court to order the APC to hold a new gubernatorial primary without Mr. Udofia’s participation or declare him a duly nominated gubernatorial candidate from the primary, among other sentences.
Mr. Enang told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that there were no primaries in Akwa Ibom as voting materials and election committee members were at the State Security Service (SSS) in Uyo after they were rescued.
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He said everyone had gone to bed after the committee chairman said he was traumatized as a result of the fight over control of election materials by supporters of the two party factions in the state.
The APC in Akwa Ibom has split into two factions due to a protracted battle between former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio and former APC National Secretary John Akpanudoedehe for control of the party structure in the state. .
Mr. Enang, who pitched a tent with Mr. Akpabio’s faction, was counting on his (Akpabio’s) support to win the party’s gubernatorial bid in the state.
However, he was disappointed after Akpabio endorsed Udofia to emerge as the APC gubernatorial candidate in the state.
Mr. Akpanudoedehe, after being outbid by Mr. Akpabio’s faction during the gubernatorial primaries, defected to the New People’s Party of Nigeria, where he secured the party’s gubernatorial ticket in the state.
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