APC rejects Akwa Ibom governorship results

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has rejected the governorship and House of Assembly results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the South-South state.
State Chairman of APC, Mr Ini Okopido, said in Uyo on Monday that the results announced by the commission were fictitious.
“Our party has rejected the sham and fictitious results as announced by INEC in the state.
“We rather insist on the results of the elections from the field which gave our party an overwhelming victory in 26 local government areas.
“We had told the world that INEC in Akwa Ibom had no credibility and integrity to deliver free, fair and credible elections to the people of our state,” Okopido said.
The state chairman of APC accused INEC of “electoral coup” after allegedly colluding with a political party to rig out the APC.
“The commission, in collusion with the other party committed an electoral coup against the people of Akwa Ibom by publishing and announcing results that has no bearing with the results as counted and announced at various units in the state,” he stressed.
Reacting to the allegations, Mr Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state denied that the commission compromised the election.
According to him, INEC conducted fair, credible and free election in the state.
“As a commission, we have no vote to give to anybody and that the will of the people is expressed through ballot and is what determines who becomes who,” Igini said.
However, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state agent commended INEC for conducting the most credible elections ever held in the state.
“Since inception of Akwa Ibom, the governorship and house of assembly was the only elections that the votes of Akwa Ibom people count,’’ he said.
The state Returning Officer, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, also the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, declared Governor Udom Emmanuel of PDP the winner of the election.