Two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in Akwa Ibom State said they would not take part in the party’s primaries for the Senate.
The primaries are on Monday (Today) in the three senatorial districts in the state.
The aspirants, Ephraim Inyangeyen and Usenobong Akpabio cited an existing court order in a case against the Akwa Ibom PDP at the Federal High Court, Abuja, as the basis for their refusal to participate in the primaries.
Mr Inyangeyen, who was sacked recently as Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel, is seeking to represent Akwa Ibom South District, while Mr Akpabio, a former state lawmaker, is aspiring to represent Akwa Ibom North-East.
Both aspirants said their refusal to take part in the primaries did not mean withdrawal from the race.
“I am in possession of an enrolled order of Court wherein it pronounced that the Peoples Democratic Party which I am a member, should maintain status quo ante bellum in a case involving whether or not the contentious issue of adhoc delegates be used for the election of flag bearers of the party for the forthcoming general elections,” Mr Inyangeyen said in the Facebook post on Monday.
“A court of first instance, which is equally of competent jurisdiction has made a pronouncement on the matter which was correctly and legally interpreted to mean that statutory delegates are yet to be approved for purposes of nominating candidates for the general election, to this extent and in obedience to court orders, I hereby disassociate myself from whatever the Party intends to do using the unapproved ad hoc delegates list today 23rd May, 2022.
“Myself, my agent and supporters therefore shall not participate in the nomination exercise as delegates to be so used by the Party are not recognised by the laws of the land,” he said.
Mr Akpabio gave a similar reason in a Facebook message on Monday.
A PDP aspirant for the House of Representatives in the state, Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo, on Saturday, refused to take part in the party primaries, citing similar reasons.
Mr Ukpong-Udo is presently running his first term in the House of Representatives.
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