By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Supporters of Mr Akan Udofia, the All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday, took to major streets in Uyo, the state capital, chancing victory songs as he survived Appeal Court to retain ticket.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had earlier in the day, upheld the nomination of Mr Akan Udofia as the duly nominated candidate of the APC for the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state..
The Appellate Court held that the Federal High Court did not have jurisdiction over the case, having been filed out of time by the petitioner, Sen. Ita Enang.
Ita Enang, also of APC and a governorship aspirant had challenged the nomination of Mr. Udofia as APC gubernatorial candidate for the state at the party primaries on ground of electoral fraud, including breach of Electoral Act 2022 which he positioned marred the excercise which was held in Uyo.
He also pleaded among other things, that the Court should disqualify Mr. Akan Udofia, claiming that as at the time he (Akan Udofia) contested the APC governorship primaries, he was still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, thus, was not qualify at the first instance to contest the APC governorship primaries.
The case which was before the Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court, Uyo at first trial was decided in favour of the plaintiff, Sen. Ita Enang.
Justice Okeke in her ruling having heard from counsels to all parties concerned in the suit including INEC, noted that APC didn’t hold governorship primaries in the state that produced Mr Akan Udofia as candidate of the Party for Akwa Ibom, hence nullified the alleged primaries and ordered for a fresh primaries within 14 days from the judgment date.
She equally disqualified Mr. Akan Udofia from taking part in the fresh primaries on ground that he was not a card carrying member of APC, but PDP where he took part as an aspirant in its governorship primaries held at Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo, an exercise he lost to Pastor Umo Eno who emerged winner having pulled the highest number of voters cast.
Not satisfied by Justice Agatha Okeke’s ruling, he applied to Appeal Court that later held ruling in his favour on Thursday by upholding his earlier nomination as the APC governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom state.
Meanwhile, a socio-political group in the state, Akwa Ibom Democratic Forum (ADF) has congratulated Mr Akan Udofia on his victory at the Court.
A release signed by Mr Joe Iniodu, ADF Director, Media/Publicity and made available to New Nigerian in Uyo on Friday, stated that the forum rejoiced over the judgment, describing it as a diligent prosecution and reflection of the wisdom of the bench.
His words, “ADF is pleased with the outcome of the Court of Appeal in the long drawn legal battle in the APC governorship candidate which finally pronounced Obong Akan Udofia as the duly nominated candidate of APC in the forthcoming election.
“The judgement is a result of diligent prosecution and a reflection of the wisdom of the Bench which carefully studied the submissions before reaching the landmark decision that has saved majority of Akwa Ibom people from possible disenfranchisement.
“ADF commends the assiduity of Obong Akan Udofia and celebrates his resilience in the face of prevailing odds that could have unsettled any fly by night politician. We also congratulate Akwa Ibom APC for standing by Obong Akan Udofia to the end of the legal battle.”
The ADF called on the people of the state to see the judgment as a golden opportunity to elect a man who would usher in a wave of prosperity that would transform the State.
