AKPABIO’S CANDIDATE LOSES OUT, AS PDP SETS TO PICK NSIMA EKERE AS GUBER ASPIRANT

Barely 1 hour to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) deadline for political parties in the country to forward names of their respective governorship aspirants and State House of Assembly aspirants, some aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom state have appealed the ruling of the Abuja High Court vacating the earlier court injunction restraining the national chairman and secretary of PDP from forwarding Udom Emmanuel’s name to INEC, RADAR Online can report authoritatively.

RADAR Online gathered from some members of the G22 who confirmed the development through the telephone that the Appeal was filed last week, but the Notice of Appeal, and Order of Stay of Execution of the High Court ruling was served on INEC on Tuesday, December 23, 2014.

They further told RADAR Online that at the PDP secretariat, the court papers were rejected by the party’s administrative staff who claimed that they were not on official duty as they have closed for the year.

The G22, RADAR Online learnt will be meeting this night at their Abuja secretariat to review developments and will address a world press conference tomorrow in Abuja on their political stance as it concerns the 2015 Akwa Ibom Governorship seat and the 2015 Presidential seat.
It would be recalled that 22 of the 23 Akwa Ibom State PDP governorship aspirants are protesting what they called “fraud and irregularities” that marred the December 8, 2014, governorship primaries of the party which produced Mr. Udom Emmanuel as the winner.
Irked by the posture of the party to their plight, Engr. Ime Ekanem, one of the aspirants instituted a Suit in Abuja High before Justice Y. Halilu and secured an order restraining PDP from accepting the outcome of the exercise and from forwarding the name of Udom Emmanuel to INEC. The court later adjourned further hearing on the matter to January 5, 2015.
But, last week, a vacation court acting on an application filed before it by a PDP lawyer, Paul Usoro (SAN) vacated and the order.
By 12 am, today, Akwa Ibomites will know who emerge as PDP flag bearer.
Source – Radar