*Akan Udofia wins at Supreme Court*
The Supreme Court has dismissed the Appeal filed by Senator Ita Enang against the APC and its Governorship Candidate in Akwa Ibom State Obong Akanimo Udofia.
Also Read: 2023: Appeal Court restores Akanimo Udofia as APC gubernatorial candidate
In its judgement the apex Court held that the appeal was bereft of merit and dismissed same accordingly.
The Court upheld Obong Akanimo Udofia’s Cross Appeal and compelled INEC to publish his name as the Candidate of the Party for the March 11, 2023 Guber polls.
This decision effectively brings to an end all controversy surrounding the candidature of the Party in the elections.
A former senator, Ita Enang, had sought to nullify Mr Akan’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.
Mr Enang had prayed the court to declare him as the authentic governorship flagbearer of the party on the ground that Mr Udofia was not an APC member as of 27 May 2022 when the party conducted the governorship primary.
But delivering judgement on Tuesday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, held that Mr Udofia was a bona fide member of the APC when it held the primary election.
Ms Kekere-Ekun said a political party has the “prerogative” to grant anyone membership waivers.
“I am in full agreement with the lower court that the 1st respondent (Mr Udofia) was a member of the 2nd respondent (APC) when he contested for the primary, and that the issue of a waiver is an internal affair of a party which the court cannot inquire into,” Ms Kekere-Ekun said.
The justice after affirming Mr Udofia’s candidacy further held that Mr Enang’s case collapsed.
“Having held that the 1st respondent duly participated in the primary election, the foundation of the appellant case collapsed.
“The appeal, in my view, was rightly dismissed by the lower court,” Ms Kekere-Ekun said.
