Emmanuel’s anointed candidate emerges PDP’s flagbearer for 2023 governorship election

Ini Billie, Uyo

The anointed candidate of Governor Udom Emmanuel, Pastor Umo Eno, has emerged as the winner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), governorship primary election.

Eno polled a total of 993 votes, out of the 1,018 accredited delegates to defeat 13 other contestants in the election held on Wednesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Senator Bassey Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North-East senatorial district, and Mr Onofiok Luke, member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency who had earlier announced a boycott of the elections had one and three votes respectively.

Other contestants, Aniekan Etim had two votes, Hon. Mike Enyong had one vote, while Umoh Idorenyin James and Mr Ide Owodiong had two and one vote respectively.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barr. Mike Igini, and other officials of the commission monitored the exercise in line with the constitutional provision.

The Akwa Ibom PDP Governorship Primary Committee Chairman, Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, and Secretary, Barr. Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan, as well as the 6-man Committee, where Hon. Mamman Usman, Hon. Stephen Ibrahim, Barr. K Njoku and Hon. Mariam Bala also monitored the election.

Meanwhile, at the hearing of the subsisting court case at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on which premise some of the contestants boycotted the primaries, Counsel to the 2nd – 331st defendants, Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN, argued that the Status Quo Bellum advice by the court was misrepresented by the plaintiffs to mean an order of the court to stop the primaries from holding.

In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/606/22 held at the Federal High Court in Abuja, it was claimed that the court ordered amongst others that it will be in the interest of justice for the parties to maintain status-quo antebellum pending the hearing and determination of the suit and an Appeal by the party with the Court of Appeal, Abuja on May 19, 2022, alongside an application for stay of order at the same Federal High Court, Abuja.

But the court agreed that it never stopped the primaries of the PDP in its order and urged the Plaintiffs to go ahead with their arguments on the preliminary objections over jurisdiction and locus standi brought by the defendants.

Counsel to Plaintiff Ahmed Raji also appealed for more time to study the preliminary objections filed by the defendants. The defendants raised no objection to his plea, after which the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, 1st of June, 2022 for further hearing.

With today’s victory, Pastor Umo Eno is expected to be issued his Certificate of Return and get set to fly the party’s flag in next year’s general election.