By Chioma Onuegbu

UYO—Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Senate Minority Leader, yesterday, said  he did not lose Saturday’s election despite the declaration of Chris Ekpeyong of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Akpabio

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According to results declared by INEC, Ekpeyong polled 118,215 votes ahead of Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who secured 83,158 votes in the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial district election.

Similarly,  the APC, governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere, assured the party’s teeming supporters that APC will reclaim all its stolen mandates, adding that the party and security agencies were in possession of evidences that the elections was rigged by the PDP.

Speaking to  journalists after the certificates of return were presented to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja, yesterday, Akpabio described the outcome of the senatorial election as a temporary setback.

“I won, I won, it is a temporary setback, that is why there are processes. If for instance you feel you were cheated or there was wrong collation, you resort to the court. For me, I did not fail, I can’t fail. I believe strongly that there must have been some wrong collation somewhere, so those things will be corrected.

“We have processes in the election; it is from one stage now, we have registration, you have to vote, you have to collate and if there are mistakes anywhere, you go to court and get back your mandate.

“My mandate is solid and waiting for me. You know that I cannot fail election, I cannot fail. Do you expect me to fail? Won’t you love me to be your senator? I can’t fail.”

Ekere at his campaign ground along Edet Akpan Avenue, Uyo, when he addressed party supporters  said,  “It is an endorsement. What Nigerians are saying is that Mr. President you have done well. What Nigerians have said is that Mr. President thank you.”