Patrick Odey, Uyo
The All Progressives Congress stalwart
and senator representing Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district,
Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday described Governor Udom Emmanuel’s victory
in Saturday’s governorship polls as a “purchased victory which must be
reclaimed.”
The Peoples Democratic Party candidate and re-elected
governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, was, on Sunday, declared
the winner of a total 519,712 votes to defeat his APC candidate, Nsima
Ekere who came behind with 171,978 votes.
But speaking with our
correspondent on the outcome of the elections in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
Akapbio said it was too early for Governor Emmanuel to celebrate his
victory, adding that the APC would exploit appropriate legal means to
retrieve it.
He claimed that the results collated from the fields
were different from the ones declared by the returning officers of the
various local governments areas of the state, adding that APC won the
elections at the polling units but lost at the INEC offices.
“I was shocked when I saw the figures being brandished on the television.
“I
wondered if it they were the same results we got on the field that they
were announcing on the television channels. This shows that Nigeria is
in trouble.
“I want to state categorically that those claiming
victory, or those regarded as victors in the last election in Akwa Ibom
State on the 9th of March should regard it as purchased victory. It was
money at work. The people’s hopes were dashed.
“So, I want to
tell Udom Emmanuel and his Peoples Democratic Party that it is too early
to celebrate now. We will use appropriate legal means to reclaim that
mandate” Akpabio said.
Akpabio alleged that his local government,
which reportedly gave the APC governorship candidate 74,000 votes at
the local government collation centres, was reduced to only 60,000 in
INEC office.
He accused INEC of “employing PDP members as
collation officers,” stressing that 99% of the collation officers,
especially, those sent to his local government area, were card-carrying
PDP members.
In reaction, Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini, described the election as “free, fair and credible.”
He
said, “When we returned to Akwa Ibom one year, six months and 10 days
ago, we promised that we were going to deliver integrity-driven
electoral process and that all old things must past away
“That is
what we promised; that is what we delivered. We provided leadership;
the people, the staff of the Commission and the entire electorate of
this state. That is what we have done.”
Source:- Punchng
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