Shock as INEC Replaces Akpabio with another APC candidate for rerun election
A few days to the rerun election for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has replaced Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio with Rt Hon. Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo as the Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District rerun election.
Recalled that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio had voluntarily withdrawn from the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District rerun election.
He had earlier requested his Political Party, the All Progressive Congress APC to forward name of another Senatorial candidate to INEC for the forthcoming rerun.
The Appeal Court had earlier ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to conduct a rerun election in Essien Udim Local Government Area within 90 days from the date of Judgement to determine the real winner of the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election held on 23rd of February, 2019.
The Minister in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and dated 2nd of December, 2019, explained that as a Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he was already saddled with a major assignment on behalf of the people of his State, the South-South Zone and Nigeria as a country.
Consequently, Senator Ekpenyong who was returned as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will be contesting the rerun election with Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, the All Progressive Congress, APC, Candidate for the repeat poll in Essien Udim, one of the 10 LGAs of the zone to determine the winner.