Appeal Court okays cancellation of governorship election in Akwa Ibom, sacks Gov. Udom

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the decision by the Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Tribunal to nullify elections in 18 local governments in the state.

Current governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.

In a judgement delivered on Friday, the court ruled that the tribunal was right to nullify elections in 18 local governments out of the 31 local governments in the state due to irregularities.

The court therefore ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold rerun elections in the state.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Umana Okon Umana, had asked the court to cancel the election in all local governments in the state alleging widespread irregularities.

Update: The earlier report stated that elections in 18 local governments had been cancelled and that rerun elections will be held in only the affected local governments, but recent reports state that the Court of Appeal nullified the entire Akwa Ibom State governorship election of April 11, removing the declared winner, Udom Emmanuel, from office.