BREAKING: PDP candidate, Umo Eno, wins Akwa Ibom gov race

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Akwa Ibom State has declared the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Pst. Umo Eno, as the winner of the 2023 governorship election held on Saturday, March 18.

Declaring the results at the INEC headquarters in Uyo on Sunday, the State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, Prof Emmanuel Adigio, said the PDP candidate polled a total of 356,346 votes to defeat his opponents of the Young Progressive Party and All Progressives Congress who scored a total of 136,262 and 129,602 respectively.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party followed with 125,09 votes while the Labour party polled 4,746 votes and others trail in that order.

He said, “That the Pst Umo Eno of the PDP having satisfied the requirements of the law is here declared winner of the governorship election in Akwa Ibom State.”

Our correspondent reports that the PDP candidate won in 29 out of 31 local government areas of the state while his opponent in the YPP, Senator Bassey Akpan, won in only two LGAs.

The local government areas won by the PDP candidate include Udung Uko, Uruan, Ini, Esit Eket, Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene, Etim Ekpo and 22 others while his YPP opponent won in Ikono and Ibiono Ibom LGAs respectively.

However, the YPP party agent, Mr kelvin Umoh rejected the results, alleging widespread violence, and intimidation that led to the killing of his party supporters

Umoh said, “It will be wrong for me to append my signature to the results sheets because there was widespread violence and intimidation”

The PDP agent, Engr. Uwem Okoko, while commending the INEC for the improvement witnessed in the Saturday polls, also thanked Akwa Ibom People for voting for PDP in the state.