A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of Godswill Akpabio as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom North/West senatorial election.

Recall that the electoral body had earlier omitted the names of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs from its published lists, saying they did not participate in the primary elections.

Delivering his Judgement, Justice Nwite held that INEC acted illegally for refusing to accept and publish Akpabio’s name even when it was sent to it by the APC as its candidate.

Justice Nwite added that Akpabio was validly nominated as the Akwa – Ibom Northwest Senatorial District candidate of the APC from the primary conducted by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on June 9, 2022.

The judge also declared that INEC cannot publish any other name or particulars of any other candidate as candidate of the APC for the Akwa – lbom North/West Senatorial District elections, except as nominated, submitted and received from the APC

He further ordered INEC to publish the name and particulars of Akpabio as the candidate of the APC for the Akwa-Iborn North/West Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections as nominated and submitted to it by the APC.