Politics
Akwa Ibom APC Senate Tussle: How Akpabio Outsmarted Ex-DIG Ekpoudom And Clinched APC Ticket
Akwa Ibom APC Senate tussle: How Akpabio outsmarted ex-DIG Ekpoudom and clinched APC ticket has been revealed.
News ToGo learned that the confusion over who is the authentic Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom North West has died down with the release of candidates’ list by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The Commission, in compliance with a court order, listed Senator Godswil Akpabio as the APC candidate.
It would be recalled that it was a smooth sail for a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udom Ekpoudom, until the immediate past minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio came into the picture.
The retired DIG had in a primary election held on May 22, clinched the Senatorial District ticket of the APC. The exercise was conducted across the 108 wards in the 10 Local Government Areas of the State, Daily Post reports.
The exercise was monitored by the electoral umpire, INEC and was conducted by a factional chairman, Augustine Ekanem whom the Appeal Court later removed as the party chairman and made Stephen Ntukepo, the substantive chairman of the party.
Also, Stephen Ntukepo’s faction in its nomination, had Engr Ekperikpe Ekpo as the Senatorial flagbearer, even as Senator Akpabio was busy with his presidential aspiration at the national level, which he later relinquished to Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate, and ran back to his State (Akwa Ibom) to struggle for a Senatorial ticket.
The primary was cancelled after all, and a rerun conducted at the Skill Acquisition Centre, Ikot Ekpene, where Akpabio polled 478 votes to defeat other contestants who were absent in the exercise, except Ekperikpo Ekpo, who had earlier announced his wish to surrender his ticket to Akpabio whom he described as his ‘father.’
The party Chairman, Mr Ntukepo, who earlier explained that the National Working Committee of the party ordered a rerun due to infractions in the May 28 exercise, introduced Sir Sylvester Okonkwo as Chairman of the Committee for the Senatorial primaries, Mrs Bunmi Moleye as returning Officer and Chief Sunday Ewoleye – Chairman, APC Primaries Appeal Committee.
However, that was when Ex-DIG Ekpoudom’s nightmare began as the party submitted Akpabio’s name to INEC as the Senatorial candidate of Akwa Ibom North West.
The then INEC chairman, Mike Igini did not recognize the election that saw the candidacy of Akpabio, rather the one monitored by INEC officials and the police at Sheer Grace, where Ekpoudom emerged.
Igini queried the validity of the rerun as the first primary witnessed by INEC officials did not record any form of infractions, saying any primary not monitored by the INEC was invalid.
Similar to Igini’s submission was that of the former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Ita Enang who suffered the same fate.
Enang was one of the gubernatorial aspirants but lost out in the midnight elections conducted at the party’s secretariat.
In a petition to the national leadership of the party to annul the primaries conducted by Ntukepo-led administration, Enang, citing section 84(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended, said that nomination congresses must be monitored by the INEC.
He insisted that the INEC did not monitor the congresses that produced the candidates in Ntukepo-led executive, adding that in accordance with sections 84 (5)(c) of the Electoral Act as amended, the aspirant who emerged from the INEC monitored primaries shall be the candidate of the party.
However, Ntukepo’s exco in the State stood its ground and fielding the names of its candidates to the INEC. In the midst of the whole drama, Ekpoudom dragged Akpabio to court challenging his declaration.
However, the Federal High Court presided by Justice Emeka Nwite, in Abuja, on September 15, 2022, dismissed the lawsuit against the INEC and the APC for lacking in merit. This was followed by a similar one delivered by Justice Donatus Okorowo on September 23, 2022.
The courts held that the primaries, which produced Ekpoudom and on which he relied on to actualize his ambition, was not a valid primary of the APC, that is to say that Akpabio remains the candidate of the party.
Consequently, the INEC, in a list published on September 20, enlisted Akpabio as the Senatorial candidate of the party in Akwa Ibom North West.
Meanwhile, Ekpoudom, not satisfied with the unfolding events, vowed to appeal the judgement.
In a statement by the Director-General of Ekpoudom campaign organization, Hon Uwem Udoma entitled “Judgement on Akwa Ibom North West APC Senatorial ticket: Our Position” issued to journalists in Uyo, the ex-DIG said he would use all constitutional means to retrieve the mandate which “was earlier given to him by his people during the primary.”
He said, “In accordance with the law, we have instructed our legal team to promptly appeal both Justice Emeka Nwite’s judgement (FHC/ABJ/CS/1011/2022) of September 15, 2022, and Justice Donatus Okorowo’s judgement (FHC/ABJ/CS/1000/2022) of September 23, 2022.”
But the Chief Press Secretary to Senator Akpabio, Jackson Udom had advised the ex-DIG to rest, describing his attempt as an effort in futility.
Whatever the case, whoever stands as the APC candidate for the election will be facing a serious challenger in the person of Mr. Emmanuel Enoidem, the Senatorial candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who is reported to be a strong force in the district.
Controversy brewed yesterday as two governorship candidates emerged winners of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket from parallel primaries conducted ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
News ToGo reports that a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, was initially declared the winner by the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma, at Protea Hotel. However, at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Senator Monday Okpephole was announced as the winner by the Returning Officer for the election, Dr. Stanley Ugboaje.
In one of the primaries supervised by Uzodimma, Idahosa secured victory with 40,453 votes. Conversely, Okpepholo emerged triumphant in the parallel primary overseen by Dr. Ugboaje, garnering 12,145 votes.
Announcing the results, Uzodimma affirmed the peaceful conduct of the exercise across the state’s 18 local government areas and 192 wards. He declared, “Dennis Idahosa, having scored the highest votes cast, is hereby declared winner of the primary and returned as the candidate of the party.”
In the second primary, Dr. Stanley Ugboaje announced Okpepholo as the winner with 12,145 votes, while Idahosa secured 5,536 votes to emerge second.
Prior to the conclusion of the declaration at Lushville Hotel and Suite, suspected thugs disrupted the process, compelling the officials to relocate to Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s residence. Journalists covering the event were assaulted, and their equipment damaged. Despite the presence of the State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adeboye, the disruption persisted.
Meanwhile, the APC has urged the public to disregard any unauthorized announcement of the primary election result. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, emphasized that only the Governor Hope Uzodinma-led Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee is authorized to undertake the final collation and announcement of results.
Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, announced the engagement of an external auditor to scrutinize the party’s finances.
News ToGo reports that this follows allegations of misappropriation made by Oluchi Opara, the party’s national treasurer, who accused Julius Abure, the national chairman, of mishandling N3.5 billion. Responding to these accusations, the party suspended Opara, citing external influences seeking to harm the LP. Abure pledged legal action against Opara for defamation.
Addressing the issue in a press conference on Thursday, Obi stated, “We will account for everything now that we have an independent person who will tell us which way forward.” Accompanied by Aisha Yesufu, a member of his 2023 campaign team, Obi clarified, “I’m not involved in the party’s management and the campaign accounts.”
He assured transparency in handling funds received during the election and called on the public to provide any information on fund disbursement. Obi emphasized the importance of accountability in the party’s financial affairs moving forward.
Politics
KARMA: Alleged APC’s Memo Asking Police To Grab, Silence 16 Politicians In Kano Leaks (FULL LIST)
A leaked memo from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has surfaced, revealing the party’s attempt to engage the Nigeria Police Force to apprehend and silence 16 prominent individuals in the state allegedly for inciting the public against the party through social media posts.
News ToGo learned that the letter, dated January 5, 2024, and signed by the State Secretary of the APC, Ibrahim Zakari, urged the Nigerian Police Force to arrest the identified individuals and institute legal proceedings against them based on directives provided by the party.
In the memo, the APC expressed confidence in the victory of its gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, in the state’s gubernatorial election held in March 2023. Consequently, the party authorized the Nigeria Police Force to treat the letter as official instructions.
The letter states: “On behalf of the Kano State APC Chairman, we request that the individuals listed in the table below be traced and arrested immediately after the Supreme Court’s verdict on Friday, January, 12″ 2024, which will declare Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as winner.
“We also request that your department should as a matter of urgency, file charges and accuse them of using the social media in uttering unguarded statements capable of promoting violence and inciting people against the APC government. We have enough record of such posts. The name of the court you should convey their cases will be sent to you in due time. Please let us know what it will take.”
The list of individuals to be apprehended includes:
- Salisu Yahaya Hotoro
- Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu
- Kabiru Sa’idu Dakata
- Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa
- Nasiru Zango
- Sufyan Safjamil Kabo
- Hajiya A’in Jafaru Darmanawa
- Alhajiji Nagoda Hon, Ibrahim Zakari
- Ibrahim Zakari Zawaciki
- Sani Musa Danja
- Hon. Auwalu Lawan Aranposu
- Sunusi Osca
- Kwankwason Dakata
- Ishak Abdul
- Aminu Abdullahi Kima
- Habu Tabule
The party reportedly promised to send the home and office addresses of the listed persons alongside another list.
The Supreme Court recently overturned the judgments of the election tribunal and Court of Appeal, affirming Governor Kabir Yusuf as the duly elected governor of Kano State. Gawuna, who had initially won at the tribunal and the Appeal Court contested Governor Yusuf’s victory over alleged malpractices.
Gawuna, in response to the Supreme Court’s verdict, expressed acceptance, stating, “The Supreme Court judgment is God’s decision, saying he had accepted it in good faith.”
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