2023: Court dismisses lawsuit challenging Akpabio's nomination as CPA senatorial candidate

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday dismissed the lawsuit filed by Udom Ekpoudom challenging the APC's refusal to submit his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party's candidate for the district of Akwa Ibom North West for the 2023 elections.

Rendering his judgment, Judge Donatus Okorowo held that the plaintiff's action was not justiciable, therefore, the prosecution lacked jurisdiction.

Judge Okorowo, who said the case touched on internal party affairs, ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the action.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mr. Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, was the plaintiff in the case.

He had sued the APC and the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, as the 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit.

The trial follows Mr. Akpabio's emergence as the party's candidate in the rerun of the APC primary elections on June 8.

The APC chairman in the state, Stephen Ntukekpo, had said he had been instructed by the party nationally to carry out a repeat of the alleged breaches in which Mr Akapbio emerged victorious with 478 votes , while Ekpoudom got only three votes.

Mr. Ekpoudom won a previous primary held on May 27 in the state, although Mr Akpabio did not contest, after running for the APC presidential election in which Bola Tinubu emerged victorious. p>

Although the INEC recognized Mr. Ekpoudom as the APC candidate for the constituency in the 2023 elections, the APC submitted Mr. Akpabio's name as a candidate.

The APC insisted that Mr. Akpabio be its candidate, a situation that prompted Mr. Ekpoudom to challenge the party in court.

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Mr. Ekpoudom, in the bid, said he had duly participated in the APC primary for Akwa Ibom North West district held on May 27 and controlled by INEC in accordance with the 2023 electoral calendar and the directives of the APC.

He asked the court to recognize him as the party's duly elected candidate.

Another Federal High Court Judge in Abuja, Justice Emeka Nwite, had on September 15 ordered INEC to accept and publish Mr. Akpabio's name as a candidate for the APC for Akwa Ibom North West District.

Judge Nwite, in a judgment, found that INEC's refusal to accept and publish the name of the former minister was against the law, having received the name of the APC as its candidate valid.

NAN reported that Mr. Akpabio's name was on the final list of National Assembly candidates for the 2023 elections released by INEC on Tuesday.

(NAN)

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