The national secretary of the now-defunct Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Dr John Akpanudoedehe, has obtained copies of his nomination and expression of interest forms to vie for the party’s ticket for the Akwa Ibom State Governorship seat.
He, however, denied dragging the governing party to court, saying the move was only meant to clear his name.
The governorship aspirant also appealed to the Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee to allow a free and fair direct primary in Akwa Ibom State.
Akpanudoedehe said, “Let me use the opportunity of my nomination form collection to debunk the impression created by certain quarters that I’m in court against the party. No. Having been a national secretary I understand the rules.
“I was also part of the decision making that you cannot take your party to court. We are actually the third defendants in the case, that was the case of Stephen Ntukekpo and the party. It was him that took the party to court.
“He sued me as a national secretary, they also sued me in my personal capacity. As I mentioned in the letter to the national chairman, they tried to blackmail my character and my tenure as a national secretary, as a person.
“So I have a duty to defend myself on the Court of Appeals. Not that I initiated a case against the party, I have never, and I am not doing it.”
