2023 governorship/assemblies’ elections: Umo Eno elected A’Ibom governor

Ini Billie, Uyo

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno has won the elections in Akwa Ibom State with 354,348 votes.

Eno won in 29 out of the 31 local government areas of the state, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) won in Ibiono Ibom and Ikono local government areas only.

The Young Progressives Party (YPP) came second with 136,262 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged third with 129, 602 votes.

The New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) and Labour Party, came fourth and fifth with 12,509 and 4,746 votes respectively.

Speaking on Sunday in Uyo, while announcing the results, the State Collation Officer for the 2023 Governorship election, Prof. Emmanuel Adigio, Vice Chancellor at the Nigeria Maritime University, declared the PDP candidate as the winner.

“That Eno Umo Bassey of PDP having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” he said.

Adigio stated that the total votes cast were 656, 422, registered voters were 2,357,418, accredited voters were 657,959, total valid votes were 644080, while rejected votes were 12342.

However, party agents of the APC and YPP expressed displeasure at the result, while the APC agent signed in protest, the YPP agent refused to sign the election results citing violence and disruption of election in some polling units which ought to have been cancelled.

The APC agent, Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo said, “It is on a note that some of the results that have been collated from the various local government were marred with violence. I was thinking that before such reports were received here, the REC would have dialogued with the EOs and those who came out from the field compared with the security report.

“Election is all about representing the people. Are we sure that what we are doing today is the reflection of the wishes of the people across Akwa Ibom State or we are just doing the normal rituals about result collation?

The YPP agent, Ambassador Kelvin Ubong Umo said, “I take the floor to vehemently register our displeasure and also to point out to the entire public that all our predictions prior to this election have seen the light of the day, and also to remind you that away from what INEC has promised us, that the result would be transmitted in real-time. As at this time that election is about to be announced and the winner declared, some of the elections have not been uploaded.

“I also want to say that I will not append my signature on this piece of paper for the blood of the people that have been shed in Ibiono Ibom. They are our party faithful, and so appending my signature here would amount to abuse over their death because it calls out for justice,” he stated.