The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday rejected Godswill Akpabio’s candidacy for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial district, IgbereTV reports
Akpabio, who stepped down for former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the APC presidential primary last Wednesday, was proclaimed the winner of the party’s senatorial primary rerun held in the district the following day.
A retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ekpo Udom, was declared the winner of the initial election held on May 27.
The APC chairman in the state, Stephen Ntukekpo, later claimed he was asked by the party’s national leadership to conduct a rerun due to alleged irregularities in the exercise.
In the rerun election, Akapbio polled 478 votes, while Udom got three votes.
However, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, told journalists in Uyo that the commission would only recognise the winner of the INEC-monitored primary.
He dismissed reports on the commission’s presence at the rerun election.
Igini said: “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.”
The REC also revealed that APC has no governorship candidate in the state, claiming that INEC did not oversee the governorship primary which produced Mr. Akanimo Udofia as the party’s candidate
