The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been ordered by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja to recognise and publish the name of Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in the upcoming election.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite stated that INEC had broken the law by refusing to accept and publish Akpabio’s name, despite the fact that the APC had submitted it as their candidate.
According to Justice Nwite, following the primary held on June 9, 2022, by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, Akpabio was duly nominated as the APC’s nominee for the Akwa-Ibom Northwest Senatorial District.
According to him, INEC is required by the terms of Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act to only publish the personal information of the second plaintiff (Akpabio), who is the candidate of the first plaintiff for the Akwa-Iborn Northwest Senatorial District elections. This information was provided by the first plaintiff.
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The judge further ruled that INEC could only publish information on candidates who have been officially nominated, submitted, and accepted by the APC for the Akwa Ibom North/West Senatorial District elections.
Additionally, he directed INEC to make public Akpabio’s name and other pertinent information as the APC candidate for the Akwa-Iborn North/West Senatorial District in the general elections of 2023, as nominated and submitted to INEC by the APC.
