The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has admitted that what was written in the nomination of the former governor and Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio, as the candidate for Akwa Ibom North-East senatorial district in the 2015 general election was done in error.
Appearing before the Justice Goddy Anunihu-led Akwa Ibom State National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja, the National Secretary of the party, Prof. Adewale Abiodun Oladipo, clarified that what was intended to be written and what ought to have been written in the form beside the 1st respondents name was “AKS North-West Senatorial District” or “Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District”, regretting that instead of that, the national headquarters wrote Akwa Ibom North-East.
Chief Inibehe Okori is before the tribunal challenging the conduct of the senatorial election and declaration of Chief Godswill Akpabio as winner.
But the PDP National Secretary told the tribunal that the party’s national headquarters wrote Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District on the issue, stressing that despite the clerical error on Akpabio’s INEC Form CF 002C, INEC knew that the 1st respondent was nominated and sponsored by PDP for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District seat, as “INEC was present at the PDP primary that was won by the 1st respondent”.
Stressing that he is a member of the PDP National Caucus, National Executive Committee (NEC) as well as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, Oladipo told the tribunal that he was therefore privy to the internal workings and structure of the PDP.
According to him, “In regard to my duties and functions as the PDP National Secretary, the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party 2012 (as amended), stipulates in Section 36(1) that the National Secretary of PDP, shall have responsibility to supervise the day-to-day activities of the party and conduct or direct conduct of correspondences of the party among others.
Section 49 of the PDP’s Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections 2014 also vests in the PDP National Chairman and National Secretary, the exclusive joint responsibility of conveying final results of primary elections as approved by the National Executive Committee of the party, containing a detailed list of party candidates for various elective public offices to the Independent National Electoral Commission,” he stated.
The PDP National Secretary maintained that by virtue of his office and responsibilities, he was fully involved in all the processes leading to the PDP participation in and contest of offices in the 2015 general elections, including the party’s primary that “nominated Akpabio as PDP candidate for the senatorial election”.
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