A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday dismissed the suit filed by Udom Ekpoudom challenging the failure of the All Progressives Congress to summit his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the party’s candidate for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District for the 2023 general elections.
Delivering judgment, Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that the plaintiff’s action was not justiciable, hence, the suit was incompetent.
Justice Okorowo, who said that the matter bordered on the internal affairs of a party, held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ekpoudom, a retired DIG, was the plaintiff in the case.
He had sued the APC and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio as 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit.
The lawsuit followed the emergence of Akpabio as the party’s candidate in the APC re-run primary poll held on June 8.
Although INEC had recognised Ekpoudom as the APC candidate for the senatorial district for the 2023 election, the APC submitted Akpabio’s name as its candidate.
The APC insisted on Akpabio as its candidate, a situation which prompted Ekpoudom to challenge the party in court.
Ekpoudom, in the application, said he duly participated in the Akwa Ibom North West APC Senatorial District Primary Election held on May 27 and monitored by INEC in line with the 2023 election timetable and guidelines of the APC.
He prayed the court to recognise him as the duly elected candidate of the party.
NAN reports that Akpabio’s name was among in the final list of national assembly candidates for the 2023 released by the electoral umpire.
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