Happy Hour: Umo Eno wins Akwa Ibom 2023 Guber race amidst jubilation
…floors OBA, Akan Udofia
This is the happiest hour of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Pastor Umo Eno, having emerged the winner of the Saturday, 18th March, 2023 Gubernatorial poll in Akwa Ibom State against all odds.
He polled votes 356,348 cast to floor his closest rivals, Senator Bassey Albert (OBA) of the Young Progressives Congress, YPP, and Obong Akan Udofia of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who trailed with 136,262 votes 127,602 votes respectively in a result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday.
“Pasto Umo Bassey Eno of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, has been returned elected and declared as the Governor-Elect of Akwa Ibom State,” the INEC official declared.
Pastor Umo Eno (PDP) swept 29 local government areas of the state while Obong Bassey Albert (YPP) won only two (Ibiono and Ikono) with Obong Akan Udofia (APC) losing all the LGAs, including Nsit Ibom where he hails from.
Amidst allegation of violence, apathy and poor turnout by voters in some areas, the exercise was generally peaceful and orderly in most parts of the state.
Observers have reported early and timely arrival of INEC officials and election materials at different polling units..
As early as 8 a.m on Saturday, most INEC officials had arrived at their duty posts set to perform their assigned duties.
Eno’s projected lead- Field reports
Corespondents who monitored elections in most local government areas had reported that Pastor Eno of PDP had swept the poll in many polling units, especially in Uyo, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Onna, and Eket.
At the close of the accreditation and voting at 2.30 p.m when BVAs had shut down, INEC officials moved results to ward collation centres and to local government centres and would later send the final results to INEC Headquarters for final computation and announcement on Sunday.
Though by 7 a.m Saturday evening, winners and losers of the elections were known in most local government areas of the state, with Pastor Umo Eno in early lead.
The PDP flag-bearer, who voted at his polling unit, Ikot Ekpene Udo in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, was already projected to be in commanding lead of 53.5 per cent; Akpan of YPP is projected to be in 21.3 per cent bracket while Akan Udofia is seen at a dismal point of 20.7 percent performance by Saturday evening.
Speaking, Mr. Amos Udom lauded INEC for the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the area.
Udom commended the voters for coming out to cast their votes for their governor and member in Ukanafun State Constituency.
Obong Senas Ukpanah a one-time Minister of Trade and Investment also hailed INEC for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
The crew reached Ikot Udo Mbang, Ward 7 unit 015 where Hon. Otobong Akpan, a one-time member who represented Ukanafun State Constituency, cast his vote, expressing happiness at the conduct of the election.
Obong Eno Akpan, the Ukanafun Political Leader who spoke with team, described the exercise as calm and peaceful in the area.
Akpan who had represented Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and was also a Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state, described Ukanafun as a traditional PDP stronghold.
He enumerated benefits accruable from PDP since 1999 since the area joined the party to include the construction of Abak-Ikot Akpa Nkuk Road, Ikot Oku Usung-Ikot Akpan Afaha-Oruk Anam Road, empowerment of many youths and provision of some basic amenities in the area.
Though he admitted admiring PDP as the party belonging to the people, he advocated the formation of a political party for the minorities in the country to cater for their interest.
I will support the winner- Udom Emmanuel
Governor Udom Emmanuel had earlier pledged to work with whoever emerges the winner of the governorship election in the state.
The governor, who stated this shortly after voting at his unit 001, Awa Iman ward 1, Onna, lauded the peaceful conduct of Governorship and State House of Assembly elections, rating the process 90 percent even as he vowed to deal with persons said to be disrupting elections in some parts of the state.
“There is peaceful conduct of elections in my local government as you can see, I hope it will be replicated across the state. I’ve just been told of fake people all over the place, they just told me now that one Rita Okemesi that came in from Abuja with a truck of police, is just disrupting the election, I’ve reported her to the AIG, hopefully, the police authority will take serious action against her.
“Police are meant to ensure free fair and credible election but what she is doing in Eket is going to create a lot of problems. I’ve reported accordingly and I expect action to be taken,” he said.
OBA, Akan Udofia accuse govt of disrupting election
The governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Senator Bassey Albert Akpan and his All Progressives Congress’ counterpart, Obong Akan Udofia, have accused the Akwa Ibom State government of fomenting violent acts in the state, particularly in Ibiono Ibom and Mbo Local Government Areas.
Speaking after casting his vote at Ididep Usuk ward 1 in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, Senator Akpan called on the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the alleged killing of those indigenes, one of which he said the corpse was carted away by his killers.
He said it was never the business of government in power to disrupt peaceful polls if such government had satisfactorily served the people.
The YPP candidate pledged to align by the will of the people on whoever emerges Governor at the end of the exercise.
He adjudged the election to be ‘‘generally peaceful, but for the unfortunate incident of lost of lives.’’
‘‘I am calling on the police to investigate the incident and follow up with justice. No election is worth the blood of any Akwa Ibom indigene. I have spoken with the police commissioner and he has promised to come for a follow up on the incident. Two Ibiono Ibom indigenes were killed by the police and they carried the corpses,’’ he stated.
While commending INEC for ensuring early arrival of materials in polling units across the state, Sen Akpan however tasked INEC to ensure that election results are transmitted real time on the IREV in order to ensure a credible, fair, and transparent electoral process.
In the same vein, the APC governorship candidate, Obong Akan Udofia claimed that his strongholds were being targeted to deny him victory at the poll.
