Former Governor of Akwa Ibom state and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has pulled out of the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial rerun election.
In a letter dated 2 December and addressed to Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akpabio stated his reason for pulling out of the rerun.
Recall that the minister contested the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election under the APC in the February 23 election, but lost to Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He, however, approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the election result after the tribunal had dismissed his petition. The appellate court ruled in his favour, ordering a rerun.
But in his letter, Akpbabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, said he will not recontest as he has a bigger mandate to fulfil as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
According to him, he will not resign from his current position in order to help President Muhammadu Buhari achieve his objectives for the Niger Delta.
The letter read: “I wish to recall that I was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District Election held on the 23rd day of February, 2019.
“Upon the declaration of Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the purported winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, I challenged same at the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
“The Tribunal in a split decision by a majority of two to one (Honourable Justice W. O. Akanbi and Honourable Justice 0. D. Etubu) dismissed our Petition, while in a dissenting judgment delivered by Honourable Justice Hahz S. Tahlr, the petition was adjudged proven and all the reliefs sought were granted.
“Being dissatisfied with the decision of the majority judgment and upon the erudite points of law and conclusion contained in the minority judgment, we appealed to the Court of Appeal, Calabar Judicial Division which in a unanimous decision delivered on the 9th day of November, 2019, allowed our appeal and set aside the Judgment of the Lower Tribunal.
“I have taken into consideration the critical national assignment bestowed on me by Mr. President which will be of immense importance to Nigerians and in particular the indigenes of the Niger Delta region and have resolved to remain as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to further discharge my contributions and services to our great fatherland.
“It is on the premise of the foregoing and particularly in line with the provisions of Section 35 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) that I want to formally and voluntarily withdraw my candidature as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming Court ordered Re-run Election for the Akwa lbom North-West Senatorial District.”
Akpabio, therefore, urged the APC to forward the name of his replacement to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He also called on Oshiomhole to prevail on the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to redeploy the State Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini if free and fair elections must be held.
It will be inappropriate in the circumstance and pursuant to Sections 33 and 35 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) for the party to immediately communicate this withdrawal to the Independent National Electoral Commission and forward to her the name of another candidate of the party to replace me at the Court ordered Rerun Election for the Akwa lbom North-West Senatorial District.
“I want to seize this opportunity to thank our formidable party, the All Progressives Congress, its leadership at the state and national levels for availing me the party platform and the immeasurable support I received throughout the period of the election and beyond.
“Mr. chairman, may I advice that the National Working Committee of our party should reiterate our earlier plea to the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission to redeploy Mr. Mike Igini (the Resident Electoral Commissioner) from Akwa lbom State if a free and transparent re-run exercise is to be guaranteed,” the letter read.
The Court of Appeal, had in November, ruled that a rerun election should be held in some parts of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.
