Godswill Akpabio Not Recognised As Akwa Ibom APC Senatorial Candidate – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the primary election that produced former minister of Niger Delta affairs, Godswill Akpabio as senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom north-west.

INEC Rejects Godswill Akpabio

KanyiDaily recalls that the ex-minister had contested the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but he withdrew from the race on June 7, and asked his supporters to back the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu.

Akpabio thereafter contested and won the APC ticket for Akwa Ibom northwest senatorial district, but INEC said it does not recognise the primary election.

The State APC Chairman, Stephen Ntukekpo said he was directed by the party at the national level to carry out a re-run over alleged infractions.

Akpabio won the rerun senatorial primary election with 478 votes, while former deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), Ekpo Udom (rtd), who won the first primary, secured just three votes.

But the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, said the commission would only recognise the winner of the primaries monitored by INEC.

Igini, who spoke to newsmen in Sunday, denied the claim that the commission monitored the re-run APC senatorial primaries, where Akpabio emerged the winner.

He said, “Senatorial primary was conducted on the 27th of last month. Was he an aspirant on that day? The answer is no. And the report of that day has been written since,” he said.

“That event has taken place and concluded before the presidential thing came up. He’s the one people should be asking questions if he participated in that primary. INEC is not involved in the conduct of party primaries. We are just an observer.”

KanyiDaily had also reported that Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi emerged as the winner of the APC rescheduled senatorial primary election for Ebonyi South.