During a recent Senate plenary session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole playfully teased Senate President Godswill Akpabio over his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), securing victory in only one local government area during the Akwa Ibom State local government elections.
Oshiomhole, representing Edo North senatorial district, made the remarks while pushing for reforms in how local government elections are conducted. He expressed concern over the dominance of ruling parties in local elections, advocating for changes that would promote fairer competition. His comments quickly turned to Akpabio, who hails from Akwa Ibom, as he pointed out the narrow success of the APC in just one local government area – Essien Udim, Akpabio’s hometown.
Akwa Ibom’s elections, which took place recently, saw the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winning the majority of the local government areas in the state. Essien Udim Local Government Area was the only exception where the APC managed to secure victory. This result, however, was not without controversy. A viral video circulated online showing conflicting announcements regarding the winner in the area.
In the video, Professor Inyang Ating, the Returning Officer for the election, announced PDP’s Enobong Patrick as the victor in Essien Udim.
Ating declared, “I hereby certify that I was the Returning Officer for the election held on the 5th of October 2024. The election was contested, and the candidates received the following votes: Hon. Ntiedo Usoro of the APC: 686 votes; Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday of the PDP: 55,612 votes.”
“Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday, having complied with the requirements of the law and having scored the majority of votes, is hereby declared elected. He also received more than 25% of the votes in all 13 wards of Essien Udim. I so declare, and I hereby sign as the Returning Officer,” he added.
Despite this declaration, the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) announced that the APC had won in Essien Udim, further fueling confusion and debate. The state electoral body, chaired by Aniedi Ikoiwak, confirmed that the PDP had won all other local government areas except Essien Udim.
This contradiction has led to questions about the transparency of the process, with Oshiomhole humorously suggesting that Akpabio’s victory in just one local government must have been a “tough fight.”
Watch Video Below
Akpabio: “The man you brought in as Governor (Obaseki) has turned against you and against democracy.”
Oshiomhole: “Just for the record, I didn’t bring him in; he was elected, but I supported him, just the way you supported Governor Udom.” 😊 pic.twitter.com/kOdHcy8MNc
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) October 10, 2024
