In arriving at the decision, the Supreme Court said each of the 10 issues formulated by Akpabio was resolved in his favour, and against the respondent.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Supreme Court has ruled that Senator Godswill Akpabio is the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom North Senatorial District.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the apex court overturned the Court of Appeal’s judgment delivered on November 14, 2022, which voided his candidacy after a Federal High Court in Abuja in September 2022 granted a verdict in favour of the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
In arriving at the decision, the Supreme Court said each of the 10 issues formulated by Akpabio was resolved in his favour, and against the respondent.
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The Supreme Court held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, adding that whatever decision arrived at by the court amounted to nullity.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja had on November 14, 2022, removed Akpabio as the APC candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
A three-member panel of Justices led by Justice Danlami Senchi held that Akpabio failed to file a proof of arguments within the time provided by the rules.
The panel further ruled that Akpabio, having contested the presidential primary of the APC, could not participate in the valid primary of the party held on May 27 and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which produced Udom Ekpoudom as a candidate.
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