Breaking: Tribunal Orders re-run in Akwa Ibom Governorship Election

 

The Tribunal ordered Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct re-run election in 18 local government areas of the state. There are 31 LGs in Akwa Ibom.

Giving its verdict on Wednesday, the Tribunal said it was satisfied that there were discrepancies during the governorship election held on April 11.

The Tribunal further asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct the re-run elections.

Although, the tribunal commenced sitting in Uyo, it had  to be moved to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  owing to the unfavourable security atmosphere in the state capital.

Udom Gabriel Emmanuel had been declared by the INEC as the winner in an election alleged to be the controversial.

It was reported that the election  was allegedly marred with violence,  killings, harassment of voters, hijacking of election materials and unprecedented rigging which made international and local observers to pass  a unanimous verdict that it was a sham and recommended a complete cancellation of the exercise.

All Progressives Congress which is the main opposition in the state also came out strongly to decry the conduct of the exercise.

The APC said there was no election in the state as it accused the former governor Godswill Obot Akpabio who is now a minority leader at the Senate, of allegedly deploying state  machinery to rig the election and overturn the popular wish of the people.

As a result of this, the APC and its candidate, Umana Okon Umana, had to challenge the  victory  at the tribunal seeking a cancellation of the purported election.