AKISIEC disowns RO for declaring PDP candidate winner

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) has disowned Prof Inyang Ating, who allegedly served as the Returning Officer (RO) for the election in Essien Udim, and declared the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Enobong Patrick as winner.

Chairman of AKISIEC, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, said the Returning Officer (RO) for Essien Udim in the election was Prof. Uduak Okon of the Department of Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, not Ating, as claimed in the viral video.

Ikoiwak explained that he had received a report from the Assistant Electoral Officer (AEO) that the Electoral Officer sent to the area had absconded with ballot materials sent to Essien Udim and hurriedly sent the AEO back with necessary materials to conduct the election and bring the result.

He insisted that Prof Uduak Okon of the Department of Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, was the Returning Officer (RO) for Essien Udim in the election. Okon announced the election result for APC as 51,751 votes and PDP as 22,799 votes and declared Ntiedo Usoro the elected candidate for Essien Udim LGA.

“The man who claimed to be the returning officer in Essien Udim was not on the list of appointed Returning Officers for the Saturday’s exercise, the winning margin by the PDP candidate on the video was too overwhelming to have denied the winner and his supporters did not revolt.

“It was when AKISIEC discovered what the Polling Officer did in Essien Udim, that they hurriedly went to somewhere in Ewet Housing, to do the video, using drivers and unidentified persons as their crowd to present what they presented to mislead the public.

“By the time they brought their result, they were told that Essien Udim’s result was already filed and I had insisted that results must be recorded on form 08D and that is what was accepted from all the LGAs,” he stated.

According to the viral video, the PDP candidate, Mr Enobong Patrick Friday allegedly won the election with 55,612 votes as against the APC candidate, Mr Ntiedo Usoro Effiong, who scored 686 votes.