The lawmaker says he is still in the race and remains a member of the PDP.
A federal lawmaker in Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo refused to take part in Sunday's State and National Assembly primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Mr Ukpong-Udo cited an existing court order in a case against the Akwa Ibom PDP at a Federal High Court, Abuja.
The lawmaker represents Ini/Ikono Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He is seeking re-election to the National Assembly on the PDP platform.
Mr Ukpong-Udo, however, said his refusal to take part in the primary did not mean he had withdrawn from the race.
Glory Edet, a former commissioner for agriculture in Governor Udom Emmanuel's cabinet, won the primary.
Mr Ukpong-Udo said in a statement on Sunday that it would have amounted to a breach of an order of a court if he had taken part in the primary.
One of his aides posted the lawmaker's statement on Facebook.
A Federal High court in Abuja had ordered parties in the suit challenging the PDP ad-hoc delegate election held on April 30 to "maintain status quo antebellum" pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
But the party in the state went ahead to conduct its State and National Assembly primaries with the delegates whose validity hangs on the decision of the court.
Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act 2022 excludes other categories of party members from voting in the primaries.
Although the PDP in the state has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal asking it to vacate the lower court's order, the case is yet to be heard. The party went ahead with its primaries without waiting for the outcome of its appeal.
"It is my conviction that no party can legitimately make use of the Ad hoc delegates for the primaries before the ruling of a court on the matter," Mr Ukpong-Udo said.
"I, Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo, will not participate in the primaries slated for today May 22, 2022.
"This does not mean withdrawal from the race or from my party; this only restates my intention, as a law-abiding citizen, to work within the confines and stipulations of the law," he added.
