INEC rejects Akpabio as senatorial candidate, acknowledges contender

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected and nullified the primary election that made Godswill Akpabio the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district.

MOUTHPIECE NGR had reported that Akpabio has withdrawn from the presidential race under the platform of APC, and stepped down for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to become the presidential candidate of the party, at the convention of the ruling party.

MOUTHPIECE NGR had also reported that Akpabio has won the senatorial primary election conducted on Thursday.

It was gathered that the Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo revealed that the national leadership of the party has ordered him to conduct the re-run, and said the re-run was as a result of infractions in the first primary.

In the rerun, Akapbio won with 478 votes, while DIG Ekpo Udom (rtd), who won the initial primary election, gathered just three votes.

In his reaction, while addressing newsmen on Sunday, in Uyo, the state capital, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, in the State, Mr Mike Igini, said the electoral body would only acknowledge the person who won the primary election monitored by INEC.

He said the electoral commission could not monitor the re-run APC senatorial primaries, that produced Akpabio as the senatorial candidate.

“The primaries 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 primaries conducted on Thursday (June 9) that was monitored by INEC, none,” he stated.

He also declared that the party has got no governorship candidate in the state, as the governorship primary which produced Mr Akanimo Udofia as gubernatorial candidate was not monitored by INEC.