PDP’s Umo Eno Wins In Akwa Ibom

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the 2023 gubernatorial polls in Akwa Ibom State, polling a total of 354, 348 votes to beat 17 other political parties in the state.
With this victory, the party has dominated governance in the Land of Promise since 1999 when democracy returned after the military interregnum.
In the results announced by the State Collation Officer, Professor Emmanuel Adigioh, Vice Chancellor, Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, the Young Progressive Party (YPP) came a distant second with 136,262 votes, while
the All Progressive Congress (APC) came third, polling a total of 129,602 votes.
The YPP won in two local government areas of Ibiono Ibom and Ikono while the PDP was victorious in Essien Udim, the stronghold of Senator Godswill Akpabio, an APC chieftain and Senator-Elect on the platform of APC.
The APC Governorship candidate, Obong Akan Udofia and his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Victor Antai lost their respective local government areas to the PDP, while the YPP Governorship candidate, Obong Bassey Akpan won big in his Ibiono Ibom local government area.
“The Governorship candidate of the PDP, Umo Bassey Eno having satisfied the requirement of the law by scoring 354,348 votes is hereby declared the winner and returned elected as the governor of the state”, the state Returning Officer said.
Meanwhile, the APC agent, Ekperikpe Ekpo rejected the results of the election, alleging that they were marred by thuggery, violence, and cancellations due to electoral infractions and destruction of materials amidst low turnout of voters.
Similarly, Ambassador Kelvin Umoh, YPP agent, equally rejected the outcome, stating that INEC did not follow due process in the conduct of the polls.
”Elections were conducted in people’s houses in Ini, Uyo and Itu and we will take a legal means to seek redress”, he said.