Dramatic APC Victory In Akpabio’s LG Causes Controversy

The major attraction was the unexpected victory of the All Progressives Congress in Essien Udim Local Government Area, the local council of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a result that stunned members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

A viral video obtained by Punch Newspaper shortly after the results were announced indicated that the PDP had won all the 31 local government areas of the state.

In the video, which has been going viral on social media, one Professor Atting, said to be the Returning Officer of Essien Udim Local Government Area, announced that the PDP candidate, Enobong Patrick Friday, had won the election with 55,612 votes against the APC candidate, Mr. Ntiedo Usoro Effiong, who polled 686 votes.

But just as the PDP celebrated its victory in Essien Udim, another result indicated that it was the APC that won in the local government area, a development that plunged the entire state into a moment of anxiety.

In a swift response to the controversy, the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. AniediAbasi Ikoiwak, quickly addressed the media in Uyo, stating that contrary to the name on the video given as Professor Atting, the real returning officer of the local council during the election was Professor Uduak Okon of the Department of Medical Sciences, University of Uyo.

He added that the APC candidate polled a total of 51,751 votes while the PDP candidate trailed with 22,799 votes.

Ikoiwak said: “The man who claimed to be the Returning Officer of Essien Udim was not on the list of Returning Officers appointed for the exercise, the margin of victory of the PDP candidate on the video was too overwhelming to have denied the winner and his supporters did not revolt.

“It was when they realised that what the Returning Officer did to Essien Udim was discovered by AKISIEC, that they rushed to somewhere in Ewet Subdivision to make the video, using drivers and unidentified persons as a group to present what they were presenting to deceive the public.

“When they brought their results, they were told that Essien Udim’s result had already been filed and I had insisted that the results be recorded on Form 08D and that was accepted by all the LGAs.”