The Federal High Court, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Monday, nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election of Akan Udofia.
The election of the billionaire philanthropist said to have been held at 6 Ekpo Obot Street, Uyo on May 26, 2022 was, at the beginning, rejected by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for inability of the party to have invited the body for monitoring.
In a suit number FHC/UY/144/2022, Senator Ita Enang, an aggrieved APC Governorship aspirant, had told the court that the party primary claimed to have been won by Akan Udofia was characterized by several illegalities.
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Enang, the former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, also said that Udofia, the self acclaimed winner, was not a member of APC in the state.
But, Akan Udofia argued that the APC had given him a waiver that qualified him to contest the party primary held on May 26 , 2022 with attendant flaws and other forms of irregularities.
Delivering judgement on Monday, the presiding Judge Justice Agatha Okeke nullified the APC primary poll and ordered the party in the state to conduct another credible primary within two weeks for emergence of a governorship standard bearer.
Justice Okeke also dismissed the purported waiver granted Akan Udofia by the APC.
The Judge also ordered the defendant Akan Udofia who claimed to have won the aborted primary election of APC in the state not to participate in the fresh party primary election.
Straightnews gathered that the ruling was a climax of the power struggle and division between two political heavyweights: Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator John James Akpanudoedehe who equally was a governorship aspirant.
Later, Akpanudoedehe dumped the party for New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) as the state governorship standard bearer leaving Ita Enang, Atuekong Don Etiebet, Capt Sam Ewang, among others to battle for the soul of the party in the state.
Reported by Isaac Job
