APC Didn’t Conduct Any Governorship Primary In A’Ibom — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not conduct any Governorship Election in Akwa Ibom State.

By implication, the party may not field governorship candidates in next year’s general elections as the deadline.

The APC had in its primary on May 27 declared Akanimo Udofia, who decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a few days before the exercise the winner of the exercise.

However, the commission in a letter signed by INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, addressed to INEC Chairman, said no election was held in the state.

Igini’s letter read: “I forward herewith, the Report of the Non-conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary, scheduled to hold on Thursday 26th May, 2022, at Sheergrace Arena, 8/10 Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for your information and necessary action.

“We wish to report that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary is scheduled to hold on Thursday, 26th May 2022, at the Sheergrace Arena. 8/10 Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, did not hold as scheduled at all.

2. The EPM Calendar of Political Party Primaries had earlier scheduled the APC
   Governorship Primary for 26/5/2022. Equally, the APC State Chapter Office in its letter of notification, dated 23/5/2022, herewith attached, notified the Commission of the date, venue and time of the Governorship Primary. Commission did not receive any other or contrary Notification from the APC National Office.
3. Following this, the Commission set up a monitoring team, made up of Management Staff, EPM Staff and led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner to monitor the Primary.

In its conclusion, Igini stated that ” We wish to report that the Akwa Ibom APC Governorship Primary, scheduled to hold at the Sheergrace Arena, Nsikak Eduok Avenue did not hold because the APC Primary Election Committee did not come to the venue and did not hold the primary in any other venue monitored by the Commission”.