A former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has clinched the senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
Akpabio clinched the ticket on Thursday after stepping down on Wednesday during the APC presidential primaries.
At the primaries in Abuja on Wednesday, Akpabio announced that he was stepping down for the eventual winner, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In the senatorial primaries on Thursday in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, he emerged winner with 478 votes.
Out of the 540 delegates, 512 were accredited.
Sir Joseph Akpan had one vote, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Ekpo Udom, who won the initial primaries, had three votes, while 11 votes were voided.
Speaking on Thursday night at the Godswill Akpabio Empowerment Centre in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, where the rerun primary held, Akpabio thanked the people for finding him worthy.
He said: “I thank the Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district for finding me worthy to be given another opportunity to represent you in the Nigerian Senate.
“I recall when you gave me the first mandate in 2015 to 2019, I recall that there is no Senator ever that did the kind of empowerment I did for you.
“I know a lot of projects were done across the 10 local government areas from markets to water projects, to electrification project, to building of classroom blocks.”
Speaking earlier, the State Chairman of the APC, Stephen Ntukekpo, said he was directed by the party at the national level to carry out the rerun, citing infractions in the first one as reason.
Ntukekpo said: “There was some infractions in the primaries held about a week ago and I was directed by the National Working Committee to carry out a rerun.
“We have about five aspirants in this exercise.
“They were all informed and are fully aware.
“The aspirants are Sir Joseph Akpan, DIG Ekpo Udom, Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
Though the other aspirants were not available during the exercise, Ekpo announced that he was stepping down for Akpabio.
He said: “The first primary took place on May 28 and all of you were there.
“Today, our father has joined the race.
“I, Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo, former member of the House of Representatives, a son of this Senatorial District, I plead with all my delegates to identify with our father and I return all the delegates to vote for him.
“I don’t think we should do anything to undermine the person God has given to us as a leader.
“The person is Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio.
“I call all my delegates once again to support him.
“With that, I have withdrawn my aspiration to the senatorial seat.”
The five-man committee that monitored the primaries was led by Sir Sylvester Okonkwo and assisted by Alhaji Salisu Isa and Bunmi Imole, who was the Returning Officer.
The election was also monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
