21st October, 2015
The Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja has called for fresh governorship election in the state following an appeal by Umana Okon Umana and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The tribunal ruled that there will be a re-run in 18 local government areas (LGAs) of the state. Akwa Ibom has 31 LGAs but there will be no re-run in 13 LGAs.
Umana and APC had alleged that election did not hold in Akwa Ibom showing both pictorial and video evidences that there was ballot box hijacking, massive thump printing and rigging across the state.
Umana challenged the conduct of the poll and declaration of Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the governorship election.
The Justice Sadiq Umar-led panel has since ruled that election will not be held in all LGAs but in 18.