.Says win justifies PDP is a religion in A’Ibom

..As YPP says outcome of polls unacceptable

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

THE Campaign Council of Pastor Umo Eno, Akwa Ibom governor-elect on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has appreciated the electorate for electing candidates of the party in the Saturday March, 18, governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

This is contained in a statement yesterday signed by Prince Chris Abasieyo, spokesperson of the Campaign Council, entitled: “To Akwa Ibom People: Behold your happy hour”

The Council added that it could not thank the
people and residents enough for maintaining peace throughout the exercise, despite the provocation of desperate and violent opposition.

The statement made available to newsmen in Uyo reads: “From the bottom of our hearts, we wish to appreciate Akwa Ibom people for the show of love for our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections which held yesterday, March 18, 2023.

“We particularly thank our people for convincingly, massively and decisively electing the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Pastor Umo Eno, as the next Governor of the state. We are equally grateful to our people for the clean sweep of PDP Candidates in the Assembly poll.

“Coming three weeks after Akwa Ibom people overwhelmingly voted for PDP candidates in the presidential and National Assembly elections, this is a further demonstration of the inextricable relationship between the PDP and the people of the state.

“When we say that PDP is a religion in Akwa Ibom State, this is what we mean. It is gratifying to note that the elections were generally peaceful, orderly, free and fair in the state. Our people again maintained peace despite the provocation of desperate and violent opposition.

“We cannot thank our people enough. We assure them that we are not taking this support for granted. And we promise that the Golden Pastor and the PDP will justify the confidence reposed in us. Hurray, Akwa Ibom people, the Golden Era, is here!”

However, an opposition party in the state, the Young Progressive Party (YPP) has kicked against the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commissíon (INEC), claiming that it doesn’t reflect the will of the electorate.

The party in a press statement signed by its Secretary Amb. Kelvin Umoh yesterday and
obtained in Uyo, reads in part, “At the collation and announcement of the Gubernatorial election result on Sunday, March 19, 2023 by INEC, we, as a party, did not append our signature on the result sheet because it doesn’t reflect the will of the electorate in Akwa Ibom State.

“To pull the wool over the eyes of poll observers and members of the public, the rigging syndicate of the state administration and INEC officials selected a few locations to allow the conduct to run a bit fairly- mainly in most parts of Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Senatorial districts while Eket senatorial district was shambolic, as most of the polling units’ results were pre-written.

“Instances abound like the case in Ibiono Ibom where PDP armed militia killed some of our supporters including Mr Abraham Bassey Ekpenyong at the INEC office. What transpired was a sham and its outcome cannot therefore be acceptable as it does not represent or reflect the collective will of the electorate of Akwa Ibom State.

“That our gubernatorial candidate, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA) CON is the preferred choice of the people is never in doubt and this will be legally pursued until we get justice”