2015: Iyanam faults governorship primary, drags Bishop Samuel Akpan to court

Mr. Okon Iyanam

By Nse Peter

Okon Iyanam, a governorship aspirant in the Accord Party, Akwa Ibom State, said he has approached a Federal High Court for the nullification of Bishop Samuel Akpan’s election as the governorship candidate of the party.

Mr. Okon Iyanam who didn’t mention which of the federal high court he had filed the case, said in a message he posted on Facebook, “I didn't know that a state party chairman could select delegates on his own, admit Bishop Sam Akpan to the party overnight and assign him the party’s governorship ticket just like that.”

Both Iyanam and Akpan defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party.

Iyanam is alleging that Samuel Akpan was not eligible to contest for the governorship ticket of the Accord Party.

“Bishop Akpan had not even paid for the party's nomination forms and had not been issued with the official receipt which was the requirement to be qualified to stand for the primary elections as at the 11th of December when the primaries were conducted.

“He only paid and was issued with the party's official receipt on the 16th of December, a clear 5 days after the primaries were held. So, on what basis was he cleared to contest the primaries when, as of that date, I was the only candidate with valid receipt and nomination clearance, having met all the financial requirements?

“So, how did he manage to "win" an election in which he ought not to have even been a participant as of the 11th of December when he had not even paid for and acquired the nomination forms and when he had no receipt of payment of the nomination fees to prove his eligibility as is required by the party's eligibility criteria?”

Mr. Iyanam, who says he is confident that the court will resolve the issue in ‘favour of the truth’, has some harsh words for Samuel Akpan. “This is the sort of character that aspires to rule over a new Akwa Ibom State. A Bishop who would engage in such ungodly practices in search for political power. We have come to the end of the road for such shenanigans and for politicians who see nothing good in upholding very basic democratic and honest principles.”