APC has no gov’ship candidate in A/Ibom – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State.

The commission also said it does not recognise a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the party’s candidate for Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial district. 

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The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini, said the commission only recognised DIG Ekpo Udom (rtd) who emerged winner of the primary the commission monitored. 

The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the APC had been enmeshed in deep crisis following the battle for the control of the party structure between Akpabio and the secretary of the defunct APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.

The crisis reached its peak when Senator Akpanudoedehe dumped the party a few days before its special convention held in Abuja on June 7 and 8.

Speaking to our correspondent in Uyo on Sunday, Igini denied claims that the commission was represented and monitored the re-run of the APC senatorial primary where Akpabio emerged the winner. 

“The primary was concluded on the 27th of last month, so I don’t know what you are talking about. The one that was conducted was monitored by INEC and the report has been submitted to Abuja. 

“INEC is not aware of any senatorial primary conducted on Thursday (June 9) that was monitored by INEC, none,” he stated. 

The REC also affirmed that APC has no governorship candidate in the state, saying “the governorship primary where Mr Akanimo Udofia emerged winner was not monitored by INEC.”

With this development, APC has no governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom, while the North-West senatorial district re-run primaries which produced Akpabio as a candidate is null and void. 

In the said primary, Akpabio emerged the winner with 478 votes of the 512 votes cast.