A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo on Monday, nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries that produced Akanimo Udofia as Akwa Ibom candidate of the party for 2023 general election.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Agatha Okeke, in her judgment, ordered that a fresh primary election be conducted within 14 days.
Okeke said that the APC governorship election committee violated provisions of the Electoral Act in conducting the primaries, saying that there was no evidence that the procedures adopted for the primaries were in line with the act.
Okeke dismissed the purported waiver granted Udofia and ordered the party to conduct another primary election where authentic governorship candidate would emerge.
She said that the weight of evidence before the court showed that no election was held and that the nomination of Udofia was null and void.
The judge ordered that the second defendant shall, within 14 days, conduct a fresh election and also ordered that the first defendant (Udofia) be disqualified from participating in the fresh primaries.
Sen. Ita Enang, an aspirant in the May 26 primaries, had challenged the legitimacy of the outcome by approaching the court.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that joined in the suit were Udofia, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the first, second and third defendants.
Speaking to newsmen after the judgment, the plaintiff’s counsel, Nsikak Akpan, expressed satisfaction with the judgment.
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