The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed Akan Udofia as the duly nominated All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State.
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The governorship election holds on Saturday, 11 March.
A former senator, Ita Enang, had sought to nullify Mr Akan’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.
Mr Enang had prayed the court to declare him as the authentic governorship flagbearer of the party on the ground that Mr Udofia was not an APC member as of 27 May 2022 when the party conducted the governorship primary.
But delivering judgement on Tuesday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, held that Mr Udofia was a bona fide member of the APC when it held the primary election.
Ms Kekere-Ekun said a political party has the “prerogative” to grant anyone membership waivers.
“I am in full agreement with the lower court that the 1st respondent (Mr Udofia) was a member of the 2nd respondent (APC) when he contested for the primary, and that the issue of a waiver is an internal affair of a party which the court cannot inquire into,” Ms Kekere-Ekun said.
The justice after affirming Mr Udofia’s candidacy further held that Mr Enang’s case collapsed.
More details soon…
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