Akwa Ibom election: Akpabio takes first step towards reclaiming ‘stolen mandate’

A former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Akwa Ibom North West, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has approached the election tribunal sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital.

The move is to commence legal processes to reclaim his allegedly stolen mandate in the February 23 senatorial election.

His lawyer, Sunday Ameh SAN, filed the suit on the 16th of March following Akpabio’s withdrawal of the case he earlier filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The lawmaker is seeking to upturn the victory of Christopher Ekpenyong and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, alleging that electoral irregularities characterised the said election.

Akpabio, who dumped the PDP for the APC few months to the general elections, had alleged cases of infractions and deliberate violations of the electoral law and guidelines during the senatorial election.

INEC had allegedly collaborated with some PDP leaders in the senatorial district and wrongfully declared Ekpeyong and his party, the PDP, as winner of the poll.

Ekpenyong scored 118,215 while Akpabio polled 83,158.

His lawyer pointed out that the result sheets from Akwa Ibom INEC office showed different figures that had Akpabio securing 138,256 votes as against Ekpeyong’s 123,843.

Ameh said his client is dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election.

”The former governor of Akwa Ibom and his party has approached the election petition tribunal to ventilate their grievances as well as reclaim their stolen mandate,” he said.

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