On Friday 20th, January 2023, the Supreme Court sitting in Abuja, affirmed Mr. Godswill Akpabio as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.
It was recalled that on 14th, November 2022, the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja the capital city of Nigeria, instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to nullified the candidacy of Mr. Godswill Akpabio and recognize Mr. Udom Ekpoudon as the main candidate of the APC for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.
In the judgement which was decided by a five-member panel of Justices, upheld the appeal of Mr. Akpabio in challenge to the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja that nullified his candidacy.
Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, said that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in nomination of a candidate for an election, which it said was within the purview of an internal affair of a political party.
The Supreme Court resolved 10 issues Mr. Godswill Akpabio raised before the court in his favour and nullified the judgement of the Court of Appeal held in Abuja on November 14th, 2022 in favour of Mr. Udom Ekpoudon.