Governor Akpabio Wins in Akwa Ibom

The returning officer for the governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Confort Ekpo today declared Governor Goodswill Akpabio as the winner of the 2011 governorship election with 958,585 votes.

ACN candidate, Senator  James Akpan Udoedehe came second with 163, 449 votes while Larry Essien of CPC came third with 15,660 votes.

Former military administrator of Rivers and Ogun state, Sam Ewang came fourth.

A breakdown of the result showed that Governor Akpabio won in 29 out of the 31 local governments in the state while ACN won in the remaining two local governments.

Few hours before the result was announced, leader of Senator Udoedehe campaign organisation Bob Ekarika and top ACN stalwarts in the state, called for the cancellation of the result because the election  was characterised by too many irregularities.

They claimed that about 18 of their party members and agents were killed by thugs during the election.

This number according to them is different from those who were intimidated,harassed and beaten.

They also alerted the police of an allegesd plot by the PDP to burn down the state INEC office so as to destroy the ballot papers which may help them (ACN) prove that the election was rigged.

While celebration is presently  going on in some parts of the state especially Ikot Ekpene, the governor’s home town, the State capital Uyo witnesses  heavy security presence at major junctions.

The ACN is believed to have more supporters in Uyo. Ironically the party also lost the election there with results from about 9 polling units cancelled.

By Henry Ojelu