PDP mocks Akpabio, claims minister withdrew from rerun poll out of fear of another defeat
- The PDP has accused Senator Godwill Akpabio of withdrawing from Akwa Ibom Northwest senatorial re-run out of fear of another defeat
- Iniobong Ememobong, Akwa Ibom PDP's publicity secretary, said Akpabio has to participate in the election because he was a party before the court which ordered the rerun election
- Ememobong claimed that the APC can only substitute its candidate if the incumbent candidate dies
When Senator Godwill Akpabio pulled out of the planned Akwa Ibom Northwest senatorial re-run election on Wednesday, December 11, his sole reason for the decision was that he is now focused on continuing his role as the minister of Niger Delta affairs.
He told the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, that he couldn’t abandon a critical assignment placed on him by President Muhammadu Buhari in pursuit of a re-run election.
The minister, therefore, asked to be replaced by another candidate for the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district rerun poll.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom state claimed Akpabio pulled out the election out of fear of another defeat.
The party described Akpabio's action as a joke, insisting that the minister and his party must submit themselves for “confirmatory” defeat.
Iniobong Ememobong who is the PDP's publicity secretary in Akwa Ibom state said on Friday, December 13, that it was inappropriate for Akpabio to seek to be replaced by another candidate.
According to Ememobong, Akpabio has to participate in the election because he was a party before the court which ordered the rerun election.
The PDP spokesperson added that the rerun is ordered by the court to complete an earlier election which the court nullified.
He claimed that the APC can only substitute its candidate if the incumbent candidate dies.
Ememobong insisted that Akpabio withdrew from the election to avoid another defeat in the hands of the PDP candidate, Chris Ekpenyong.
The party, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider Akpabio's decision to withdraw from the rerun as a concession of defeat and hold that APC has no candidate in the forthcoming senatorial rerun.
It also asked the party to disregard the demand for the removal of Mike Igini as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom state.
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Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the APC in Akwa Ibom state called for the removal of Igini ahead of the senatorial election re-run in Akwa Ibom Northwest.
This was disclosed by the party through its forum of APC aspirants.
Chris Enoch and political advisor, Emaeyak Ukpong, the forum coordinator, said the removal of Igini will pave way for a free and fair poll.
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Source: Legit.ng
