Akan
Udofia: Court Judgment, Next steps
The judgment that annulled the Akwa Ibom APC
2023 Governorship primaries and disqualified the party's flag bearer, Obong
Akan Udofia, from contesting in a rerun ordered within 14days, shocked everyone
and left stakeholders confused as to how it came about.
Now, here is the alleged locus of the judgment.
According to one of the party’s candidate for federal
House of Representatives (name withheld), the judgment was delivered on the
premise that Obong Akan Udofia was not a member of the APC.
In establishing this fact, the plaintiff explained that as at late April, 2022,
Obong Akan Udofia was a PDP member and attended a PDP stakeholders meeting
where he signed attendance register at the meeting, and on May 1st,
he tendered his resignation from the PDP and joined the APC.
He picked APC nomination form for
the governorship primaries that was slated for May 26th, 2022 which
he eventually emerged the winner. The plaintiff argued that according to APC constitution, party members can only contest
for an election having been member of the party for at least 30 days, that Akan
Udofia from May 1st to the primary election date of May 26th,
2022 was not a member of the party and hence, was not eligible to have
contested in the first place.
The judge, standing on this locus of the case, annulled
the primary election and also disqualified Obong Udofia
from contesting in a rerun.
In his response, Obong Udofia
urged his supporters to remain calm and law abiding while he pursues the next
line of action towards reclaiming the party’s governorship flag for the 2023
election. Obong
Udofia assured his supporters he
will do everything possible to be on the ballot for the 2023 governorship
elections in Akwa
Ibom State.
Consequently, the APC
Progressive Youth movement has allegedly accused Mr.
Ita Enang
and Obong Umana Okon
Umana for anti party activities
and have petitioned the President, APC
national leader and APC National
Working Committee to suspend them from the party.
Obong Akan Udofia has reportedly filed for a stay of
execution of the last court judgment as well as filed an appeal in a bid to
upturn the last Monday’s judgment. According to multiple sources, Obong Udofia’s
case which initially was confusing and lacking direction has in recent days
received a boost for a victorious outcome as the APC
national leadership structure still recognizes him as the flag bearer and has
promised to come in fully to address the lingering issues. It is promised that
before the APC Presidential rally
for Akwa Ibom
state comes, all court involving Akwa Ibom APC
would have been completed and Obong
Udofia standing as the flag bearer
to receive the party’s presidential candidate.
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