INEC Denies Recognising Ahmad Lawan, Godswill Akpabio As Senatorial Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied recognizing Senate President Ahmad Lawan, and former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio as senatorial candidates.

Lawan, Akpabio Are Not Senatorial Candidates

KanyiDaily recalls that the INEC had rejected the nomination of the duo following controversies that surrounded the primary elections that purportedly produced them as senatorial candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Tuesday, a report emerged alleging that the INEC succumbed to pressure from the ruling party by backdating the Certified True Copies of the APC primaries to accommodate Lawan, Akpabio and others as candidates in the 2023 general elections.

Reacting to the report in a statement by National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the electoral umpire said it has not recognized any of the two as candidates.

INEC said: “For clarity, the Form EC9 (submission of names of candidates by political parties) is the Form uploaded by parties on the INEC nomination portal. This is clearly indicated on the title of the Form which was received on 17th June 2022 when the portal closed.

“What follows is the publication of the personal particulars of nominated candidates which was done a week later. The Forms of the two personalities in question were not published by the Commission.

“The decision of the Commission triggered legal action which are still ongoing. It therefore defies logic and common sense to go around and submit doctored documents purportedly recognising the duo as candidates when the matter is clearly sub-judice.

“As part of the ongoing case in Court, a law firm requested the Commission for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Form EC9 submitted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District which we are duty bound to oblige them under the law.

“The Form was certified on 15th July 2022. If minimum care has been exercised by the promoters of the story, they would have seen the two stamps of the Commission bearing different dates on the Form. It is this Form that is now misconstrued as INEC’ s endorsement.

“For the record, the Commission has not recognized any of the two personalities as a Senatorial candidate.

“We call for responsible reportage as against the unwarranted attack on the Commission and its officials over a matter than can be easily fact checked”.

KanyiDaiy recalls that in May, Bashir Machina won the APC Yobe North senatorial primary unopposed, but the ruling party wants him to step down for Ahmad Lawan, who currently represents the district