The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District (Uyo), Bassey Etim, has alleged electoral irregularities in the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections in the state and called for an outright cancellation of the results.
Etim, who scored 60,930 votes as against the 174,731 votes polled by the chairman, Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, Bassey Albert, of the People’s Democratic Party candidate, said in Uyo, Wednesday that the outcome of the elections did not reflect the will of the electorate.
“No election known to law took place in Uyo senatorial district. What happened in Akwa Ibom, and in particular, Uyo senatorial district on the 23rd February 2019 with regards to the elections conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission was a charade.
“Judging by the widespread irregularities, violence and fraud that characterised the February 23rd elections, I have since forwarded a petition to the INEC chairman, security agencies and the Presidential Campaign Council calling for an outright cancellation of the elections as such fraudulent results cannot stand”, the APC candidate.
He said the process was characterised by the high level of fraud perpetrated by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Mike Igini, ad-hoc staff of INEC and members of the PDP during the elections.
Etim referred the INEC chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu to the previous petitions he had written to him alerting him of Igini’s plot to rig the election in favour of the PDP, urging him to do the needful by cancelling the elections.
“In Itu LGA, Okon Etim, a Special Adviser to Governor Udom Emmanuel took away elections materials meant for unit 10-16 and thereafter colluded with INEC official to give victory to the candidate of the PDP”.
“Okon Etim and some hoodlums abducted a NYSC member and an ad-hoc staff posted to Ayadeghe, yet the results in those units were still declared when it was apparent that no elections took place.
“Also, in areas where elections actually held, like in Itu unit 4, 6 and 9 and the APC won, the results were cancelled without any explanation”.
He said similar scenario played out in Uruan where he said “the INEC official colluded with PDP and declared results were no elections took place”.
Also, he said “INEC gave victory to the PDP without even waiting for collation of result from the different polling units and wards”.
The candidate, who decried the high level irregularities, violence, fraud, hijacking of election materials amidst other aided electoral vices, said INEC was left with no option but to cancel the elections, and therefore called on the commission to do so.
