The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says
its officials did not monitor any primary that produced Godswill Akpabio as senatorial
candidate for Akwa Ibom north-west.
Akpabio, former minister of Niger Delta affairs, had
contested the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but
he withdrew from the race on June 7, and asked his supporters to back Bola Tinubu,
former Lagos governor.
Prior to the presidential primary, on May 27, Udom Ekpoudom,
a former deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), had won a primary organised
for the Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial ticket.
However, a parallel primary was also conducted which was won
by Ekperikpe Ekpo, but which was said to have been later cancelled over
irregularities, while a rerun was conducted on June 8, with Akpabio declared as
winner of the exercise.
Speaking on the development on Sunday, Mike
Igini, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom, said INEC officials
did not monitor any primary outside the one conducted on May 27.
“Senatorial primary was conducted on the 27th of last month.
Was he an aspirant on that day? The answer is no. And the report of that day
has been written since,” he said.
“That event has taken place and concluded before the
presidential thing came up. He’s the one people should be asking questions if
he participated in that primary. INEC is not involved in the conduct of party
primaries. We are just an observer.”
The development comes amid leadership crisis in Akwa Ibom
APC involving factions loyal to the former minister and John Akpanudoedehe,
former APC caretaker committee national secretary — although Akpanudoedehe has
now defected to the New Nigeria Peoples party (NNPP).
Meanwhile, Jackson Udom, chief press secretary to Akpabio,
in a statement on Sunday, said whatever primary that produced Ekpoudom was
organised by the faction loyal to Akpanudoedehe.
“Therefore, that contraption that purportedly conducted the
senatorial primary, where Udom Ekpoudom, was allegedly declared a ‘winner’, is
not known to law and he couldn’t have been said to have won the party’s ticket,
because you cannot build nothing on nothing,” the statement reads.
“The authentic party leadership of the party in the state is
led by Obong Stephen Leo Ntukekpo. He is recognised by the INEC and the law and
the national leadership of the party and based on that, all actions taken by
him on the conduct of the party primaries at all levels, are known to law and
remains the accepted position of the national leadership of the APC and the
INEC.
“The Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District primary, as
directed by the national leadership of the party all over the country, was
conducted on 28th May, 2022, and not on the 27th May, that the Udoedehe
contraption purportedly conducted its phantom primary.
“For even claiming to have conducted its primary on the 27th
instead of 28th May, 2022, indicates the fact that their purported primary, was
not done as provided for by the APC approved schedule.
“At the 28th May, 2022 primary, former member, House of
Representatives, Rt. Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, emerged the winner. That was the only
recognised primary by INEC, because it was organised by Electoral Officers sent
from the party’s headquarters.
“It was that same primary won by Hon Ekperikpe, that was
later cancelled by the national leadership of the party, citing security
infractions caused by hoodlums and miscreants who disrupted the exercise and a
fresh primary ordered.
“At the fresh primary, DIG Udom Ekpoudom, Hon Ekperikpe
Ekpo, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Engineer Joseph Akpan, all took part in the
election. However, before the commencement of voting, Hon Ekpo, who won the
cancelled election, voluntarily stepped down for Senator Akpabio. He there and
then, called on all his supporters to cast their votes for Senator Akpabio.
“The reordered primary took place on the 9th of June, 2022,
at the Skill Acquisition Centre, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. At the end of
the election, Senator Akpabio was declared winner and returned as duly elected
candidate for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District on the APC platform.”
The development also comes hours after a report by INEC had
indicated that Akwa Ibom APC didn’t conduct any governorship primary monitored
by the commission.
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