Don’t Celebrate Yet, Your Victory Is Purchased – Akpabio Tells Udom Emmanuel

Akpabio Rejects Udom’s Governorship Victory

Former Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday described the victory of Governor Udom Emmanuel as a purchased victory which must be reclaimed.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party was declared the winner of the Saturday’s election after scoring 519,712 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nsima Ekere who scored 171,978 votes, Naija News recalls.

Akapbio while speaking to journalists stated that it was too early for the Governor to celebrate his victory, he stated that APC will take legal step to retrieve its victory.

He claimed that the results that were declared by the returning officers were different from the results collated from the fields.

Akpabio added that APC won at the polling units but lost at the INEC offices.

“I was shocked when I saw the figures being brandished on the television.”

“I wondered if they were the same results we got on the field that they were announcing on the television channels. This shows that Nigeria is in trouble.”

“I want to state categorically that those claiming victory, or those regarded as victors in the last election in Akwa Ibom State on the 9th of March should regard it as a purchased victory. It was money at work. The people’s hopes were dashed.”

“So, I want to tell Udom Emmanuel and his Peoples Democratic Party that it is too early to celebrate now. We will use appropriate legal means to reclaim that mandate” Akpabio said.

Akpabio alleged that his local government which gave the APC candidate 74,000 votes was reduced at the INEC office to 60,000.

He accused INEC of “employing PDP members as collation officers,” stressing that 99% of the collation officers, especially, those sent to his local government area, were card-carrying PDP members.

“My prayer is that this is not what would befall Nigeria; otherwise, democracy is in peril.”

Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, while reacting to the election stated that the process was free, fair and credible.

He said, “When we returned to Akwa Ibom one year, six months and 10 days ago, we promised that we were going to deliver integrity-driven electoral process and that all old things must past away”

“That is what we promised; that is what we delivered. We provided leadership; the people, the staff of the Commission and the entire electorate of this state. That is what we have done.”