Tribunal: Akpabio Loses Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Bid

The newly appointed Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has lost the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial bid, as the National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal, sitting in Uyo, upheld the victory of Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier declared Senator Ekpenyong  as the winner  of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in the February 23 elections .

The 1st Petitioner, Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had challenged the elections on the grounds that Senator Christopher Ekpenyong was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast during the elections for the  North West Senatorial District.

The former Senate Minority leader,  Akpabio also noted that the election that produced Senator Christopher Ekpeyong as winner was invalid owing to non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in the conduct of the election.

In a majority Judgement of two justices, the three-man tribunal dismissed the petition and upheld as valid, the declaration of Senator Christopher Ekpenyong as the winner of the election.

Describing the petition as “lacking merit”, the panel declared that the petitioner failed to prove that he won the said election as well as failed to present convincing evidence of noncompliance with Electoral Act as raised in his petition.