The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the announcement of results in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, where former Governor Godswill Akpabio is seeking reelection, Igberetvnews reports.
According to an INEC official who spoke with Igberetvnews on Sunday night, Akpabio’s main challenger, Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was leading when the decision to suspend result announcement was taken.
“We are having some issues with the election in Essien Udim Local Government Area,” said the official who did not want his name mentioned in this report because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.
“If we accept the results from the local government area, Akpabio’s votes will overshoot that of Chris Ekpenyong.
“There are issues in the results which we are yet to be resolved,” the official said.
Essien Udim is Akpabio’s LGA
Messrs Akpabio and Ekpenyong are yet to speak on the development.
The doctored result of Essien Udim local government area was rejected by the returning officer in Ikot Ekpene senatorial district collation centre.
The threats and manipulations by Sen Godswill Akpabio and his boys made it impossible for the officer to risk his life as he opted to postpone collation in Ikot Ekpene, while the materials were shipped to Uyo
Final decision on the outstanding result still expected shortly.
Akpabio is currently trailing Ekpenyong by 69000 votes to the latter’s 123,000.
The former minority leader had earlier reportedly manhandled international observers at Essien Udim and locked up the electoral officer for five hours before arriving Ikot Ekpene with inflated results sheets.
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