Senator Godswill Akpabio has described the victory of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State at last Saturday’s governorship election as a stolen mandate which must be reclaimed.
Concise News reports that the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the election after scoring 519,712 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nsima Ekere, who scored 171,978 votes.
Akapbio while speaking to journalists on Tuesday stated that it was too early for the governor to celebrate his victory, adding that APC will take legal step to retrieve its victory.
The former Senate minority leader claimed that the results that were declared by the returning officers were different from the results collated from the fields.
Akpabio added that APC won at the polling units but lost at the INEC offices.
“I was shocked when I saw the figures being brandished on the television.”
“I wondered if they were the same results we got on the field that they were announcing on the television channels. This shows that Nigeria is in trouble.”
“I want to state categorically that those claiming victory, or those regarded as victors in the last election in Akwa Ibom State on the 9th of March should regard it as a purchased victory. It was money at work. The people’s hopes were dashed.”
“So, I want to tell Udom Emmanuel and his Peoples Democratic Party that it is too early to celebrate now. We will use appropriate legal means to reclaim that mandate” Akpabio said.
Akpabio alleged that his local government which gave the APC candidate 74,000 votes was reduced at the INEC office to 60,000.
He accused INEC of “employing PDP members as collation officers,” stressing that 99% of the collation officers, especially, those sent to his local government area, were card-carrying PDP members.
“My prayer is that this is not what would befall Nigeria; otherwise, democracy is in peril.”