Godswill Akpabio is the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom Northwest, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), however the party has not yet announced a candidate for Yobe North.
This was included in the election candidate list that INEC posted on Tuesday night.
Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Akpabio had run in the APC presidential primary, but on the day of the race, he dropped out in favour of Bola Tinubu, who ultimately won.
However, a Federal High Court in Abuja last week directed the electoral commission to recognise the former governor as the APC flagbearer for Akwa Ibom Northwest. Since that time, his eligibility to run for the Senate has been contested.
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Asserting that the electoral umpire “is bound by the provisions of Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act to publish only the personal particulars of the candidate of the first plaintiff for the Akwa-Iborn North/West Senatorial District elections in the person of the second plaintiff (Akpabio) as received from the first plaintiff,” Justice Emeka Nwite criticised INEC’s failure to recognise the former minister in his ruling.
However, in Yobe North, where Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Bashir Machina are vying for the nomination, INEC did not identify any candidates for the ruling APC.
The legislator, like Akpabio, ran in the APC’s presidential primaries, with Machina taking home the district’s senatorial ticket. Machina’s candidacy has been heavily contested ever since his appearance. Additionally, he said he was under pressure to give Lawan the ticket.
Earlier in the month, he denied a letter claiming he had written to the party’s hierarchy and handed the ticket to Lawan.
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“I want to state unequivocally that the purported letter was forged. I did not at any time withdraw nor resign from my party,” he said in a short statement after the letter made rounds.
“I was shocked when I discovered that some persons concocted plans to mislead the public, particularly my supporters into believing that I have withdrawn.”
Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee for INEC, stated after the candidates’ list was released, “The list published today contains the names of candidates validly nominated for national elections at the conclusion of party primaries and the period earmarked for withdrawal and substitution of candidates.”
According to an explanation from Okoye in a statement, “validly nominated candidates have the chance to voluntarily withdraw their candidature by notice in writing and personally present such notice to the political party that nominated them for the election.
As stated plainly in item 6 of the Commission’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities, political parties then replaced these candidates in accordance with section 31 of the Electoral Act, which had a deadline of 15 July 2022 for national elections and 12 August 2022 for state elections.
“Thereafter, no withdrawal or substitution of candidates is allowed, save pursuant to an order of a Court of competent jurisdiction or in the event of death as specified in section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.”
