A Federal High court in Abuja presided over by Justice Abdu Kafarati on Friday dismissed the suit filed by one Frank Okon challenging the election of Godswill Akpabio as the duly elected governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Delivering the judgment on the suit seeking to disqualify Mr Akpabio from further staying in office, Justice Kafarati said the plaintiff lacked the locus standi having failed to participate in the primary elections conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which produced the incumbent governor as its candidate; he cannot challenge the outcome of the election.
The court further held that the mere possession of a party’s nomination form without participating in the actual election to select the party’s candidate cannot be a ground for anyone to challenge the outcome of such election.
Mr Okon had approached the federal high court seeking to nullify the 15 January 2011 primary election that produced Mr Akpabio as the candidate of the PDP.
Although the counsel to the plaintiff left the court immediately after the judgment, lawyers to Mr Akpabio and the PDP commended the verdict of the court.
