Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) has dismissed claims circulating on social media about the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winning the October 5 Local Government Election in Essien Udim LGA.
The viral video, which showed a man identified as Professor Atting declaring a PDP victory, has been debunked by the commission.
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In an interaction with the media, AKISIEC Chairman, Mr. Aniedi Ikoiwak, clarified that the returning officer for Essien Udim was not Professor Atting, but Professor Uduak Okon from the University of Uyo’s Department of Medical Sciences.
According to the official results, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Ntiedo Usoro Effiong, secured 51,751 votes, while the PDP candidate, Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday, garnered 22,799 votes, resulting in the APC’s victory in the area.
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Ikoiwak explained that the confusion arose after the Electoral Officer (EO) in charge of the council area disappeared with the ballot materials, leading to the Assistant Electoral Officer (AEO) being dispatched to conduct the election.
This led to delays in delivering the official results.
He further mentioned that the video showing the alleged results was staged, with the individuals involved creating a false narrative to mislead the public.
The AKISIEC chairman also addressed logistical challenges during the election, attributing late arrivals of materials to network issues at Zenith Bank, which delayed the disbursement of funds.
Despite these hurdles, he emphasized that the election was conducted fairly, with results recorded on the official forms and submitted accordingly.
Ikoiwak also praised the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for providing AKISIEC the autonomy necessary to ensure a free and fair election process, noting that the exercise reflected the will of the people.
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