The Supreme Court has restored former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godwin Akpabio as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom North Senatorial District.
The Court of Appeal judgment delivered on November 14, 2022 which voided his candidacy was overturned.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the apex court upheld the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja which in September last year granted verdict in favour of the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
Justice Saulawa after reviewing the arguments canvassed by Akpabio said that his appeal was meritorious and allowed.
In the lead judgement that was read by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the apex court, held that the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to meddle in the issue of nomination of candidate for an election, which it said was within the purview of an internal affair of a political party.
The apex court panel resolved 10 issues Akpabio raised before it in his favour and accordingly vacated the November 14, 2022 judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize Mr. Udom Ekpoudom as the authentic candidate of the APC for the senatorial contest.
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