Supreme Court Affirms Akpabio As APC Senatorial Candidate
The Supreme Court has affirmed Mr. Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, as the party’s candidate for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in the forthcoming election.
The Supreme Court upheld an appeal that Akpabio filed to challenge the Court of Appeal decision that nullified his candidacy. The decision was reached unanimously by a five-judge panel on Friday.
In the lead judgement, which was read by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the supreme court declared that the appellate court lacked the authority to intervene in the matter of nominating candidates for an election since it fell beyond the purview of a political party’s internal affairs.
The apex court panel resolved 10 issues Akpabio raised before it in his favour and accordingly vacated the November 14, 2022 judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize Mr. Udom Ekpoudom as the authentic candidate of the APC for the senatorial contest.
