Lawan, Akpabio Senatorial Candidacy not Emerged from a Validly Conducted Party Primaries – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) do not have a candidate for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts.
After losing the APC presidential primaries, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who represents Yobe North, vies for the party’s ticket. On the other hand, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, is vying for the party’s nomination to represent Akwa Ibom North West in the Senate. Akpabio ran for the APC presidency as well.
But INEC’s National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, said the electoral body does not recognise any APC candidate for both senatorial zones.
“In these two constituencies, two names were forwarded, and the commission decided that the names were not persons who emerged from a validly conducted party primaries, and we did not publish their names. That is where we are,” Okoye said during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“The APC uploaded their (Lawan and Akpabio) names to our candidates’ nomination portal, but the Commission determined that they were not the candidates that emerged from valid party primaries,” he added.
“The commission did not publish their names and particulars in their constituencies. So, the implication is that as of today, the APC does not have candidates in those two constituencies.”
The nomination of Lawan and Akpabio as senatorial candidates for the general elections in 2023 was facilitated by the doctoring and backdating of documents, according to INEC’s denial last week.
“The Commission did not publish the Forms of the two personalities in question,” INEC said.
“The decision of the Commission triggered legal action, which is still ongoing.
“It, therefore, defies logic and common sense to go around and submit doctored documents purportedly recognising the duo as candidates when the matter is clearly sub-judice.”
