The All Progressives Congress, APC Governorship candidate in Akwa-Ibom state, Mr Umana Umana has said elections didn’t hold in the state alleging that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP waylaid electoral officers and snatched elections materials that were later smuggled back to collation centres.
Umana who spoke on ChannelsTV this morning vowed to challenge the results of the elections in court.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has declared the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Mr Udom Emmanuel, as winner of the governorship election in the State.
Announcing the result of the election, yesterday in Uyo, Returning Officer for the election, Prof. James Epoke, said Emmanuel scored 996, 071 votes to defeat his All Progressives Congress, APC, opponent, Mr Umana Umana, who polled 89, 865 votes.
Other results, according to him, are Sen. Helen Esuene of Labour Party, 8,600 votes and Accord Party candidate, Mr Samuel Akpan, who polled 10, 598 votes.
Epoke said that Emmanuel won in all the 31 local government areas in the state.
He said that the total number of registered voters in the state was 1,548,531 while 1,158,624 voters were accredited for the election, adding that total valid votes cast in the election was 1,110,580.
Voided votes, he said, were 12, 256 and total votes cast were 1, 122, 836.
“By the provision of the Electoral Act, Emmanuel, having scored the highest number of votes cast in the election, is hereby declared elected,” he said.
Speaking to newsmen on the outcome of the election, Mr Paul Ekpo, PDP Chairman in the state, appealed to all the contestants to accept the result.
Ekpo said: “I hope other candidates who contested this election will allow peace to reign as President Goodluck Jonathan did.”
