Re -run election: INEC cancels poll in Akwa Ibom due to violence, declares APC, YPP candidates winners
Dennis Udo – Udoma, Uyo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency rerun election in Akwa Ibom due to wide spread violence and snatching of materials.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom, Dr Cyril Omorogbe announced this to newsmen in his office in Uyo on Saturday, saying, the rerun in the area was abysmal.
Omorogbe said that the election was cancelled in all the 17 polling units that the rerun took place as a result of snatching of electoral materials, including Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation Machine System (BIVAS) by the ruling PDP agents using government apparatus to unleash prowess.
” I just want to give a brief update on what has happened today in the rerun election.
“The fact that we had about four local government areas where we conducted election and one major one was Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency.
“We were there this morning early enough and at about 8:30am polling units were opened. But couples of hours after we opened the polls, I received a call that BVAS machines were hijacked.
“So, I knew from then that we were in for a tough time. Two hours after, I received another report that was not good. So, the election in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency has been cancelled.
“They were fighting all through the local government area, in the 17 polling units in the area. I received a report from the collation officers that suppose to collate the result in the area that election did not hold.
“The whole exercise of those 17 polling units were hijacked and disrupted, while people were being chased around and other things of that nature.
“From the collation officers in the field who were supposed to collate the results, they all came back and have written reports and the result sheets they supposed to fill are all here. This apparently shows that, there was no election for now.
“On the other constituency of Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, I am still expecting to hear from them, but I believe at this point things went well. Perhaps, in the next couples of hours the result will be declared, ” Omorogbe said.
He expressed regret that the violence in Nung Udoe Itak, where the rerun took place led to the shooting of one of the corps member, an Ad-hoc personnel, on duty in the leg.
He wondered why politicians would be so desperate in a federal constituency election to the extent of shooting an innocent corps member.
“The corps member was shot, he is still in the hospital. We’ve done our best in terms of providing money to make sure he is treated well. I strongly believe he will be okay.
“He was shot on the leg, he has gone through surgery. So far, I do believe he is actually recuperating at this point,” he said.
Meanwhile, INEC has declared the candidate of Abak, Ika/Etim -Ekpo Federal Constituency, Mr. Clement Jimbo of the All Progressives Party, APC, winner of the rerun in the area.
Jimbo over ran the incumbent Hon. Aniekan Umanah of the PDP by a difference of 2,962 votes.
It is celebration galore for APC and YPP in Akwa Ibom for sustaining the winning streak upon the militarization of the exercise by the state government.
