The court of appeal in Abuja has nullified the election of Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Godswill Akpabio as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district.

In a judgment delivered on Monday, a three-member panel of justices set aside the judgment of a federal high court which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept and publish the name of Akpabio as the party’s senatorial candidate.

The former minister was in the race for the party’s presidential ticket but dropped his bid for another candidate.

The appellate court, in its verdict read by Danlami Senchi, held that Akpabio being a presidential aspirant of the APC, could not have participated in the valid primary of the party held on May 27 and monitored by INEC.

The court also ordered INEC to recognize Ekpoudom as the authentic candidate for Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district.