The Supreme Court upholds the nomination of Akan Udofia as APC governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom
On Tuesday, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun delivered a unanimous judgement in suit SC/CV/158/2023, upholding the selection of Akan Udofia as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State.
The court dismissed Ita Enang’s appeal and affirmed the January 19th judgement of the Court of Appeal that confirmed Udofia’s nomination.
The Supreme Court held that Udofia is a member of the APC, having obtained the party’s waiver to contest the May 26th governorship primaries. The court further stated that political parties have the right to grant waivers to members, and the lower court had erred in ruling otherwise.
Enang’s appeal was described as a mere academic exercise and was dismissed for lack of merit. Enang, a former Akwa Ibom North East Senator, had served as Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari in Niger Delta and previously as SSA on National Assembly.
The judgement puts to rest the controversies surrounding Udofia’s nomination as the APC’s standard-bearer for the upcoming gubernatorial contest on Saturday.
