The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no candidate for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts.
INEC’s National Commissioner, Festus Okoye in an interview on a television programme Sunday Politics, monitored by our correspondent, said the electoral body does not recognise any APC candidate for both senatorial zones.
He said in these two constituencies, two names were forwarded and the commission made a determination that the names were not persons who emerged from a validly conducted party primaries and as such they did not publish their names.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who represents Yobe North is battling to get the party’s ticket after losing the APC presidential primary.
On the other hand, a former Akwa Ibom governor Godswill Akpabio is also in a tussle to get the ruling party’s ticket to run for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial seat.
Akpabio also vied for the APC presidential race.
However Okoye said their names were uploaded by the APC to INEC’s candidates’ nomination portal but the Commission made a determination that they were not the candidates that emerged from valid party primaries.
He said the commission did not publish their names and their particulars in their constituencies.
Last week, INEC denied doctoring and backdating documents to accommodate the nominations of Lawan and Akpabio as senatorial candidates for the 2023 general elections.
It said the Forms of the two personalities in question were not published by the Commission.
The decision of the Commission has however triggered legal action which is still ongoing.