The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has granted leave to Senator Godswill Akpabio as an interested party to appeal the judgement of the court which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to delete his name as the duly elected candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Akwa Ibom North-West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District and replace him with DIG Udom Ekpoudom (retd.).
This was contained in a statement issued by Akpabio’s Chief Press secretary, Jackson Udom, on Wednesday.
The Court of appeal on Monday, November 14, 2022, in the Appeal brought by Ekpoudom against the APC and INEC, had declared that Ekpoudom was the candidate of the APC for Akwa Ibom North-West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District in the 2023 elections.
Akpabio’s lawyers, Umeh Kalu SAN and Berth Igwilo, SAN, had applied for Leave for Akpabio to be joined in the Appeal because he was not a party in the proceedings, to enable him to approach the Supreme Court for reprieve.
The court further held that since Senator Godswill Akpabio’s name had earlier been forwarded to INEC as the candidate of the APC, it was imperative to allow him appeal the judgement of the court delivered in his absence.
