Chairman of Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River state, Hon Emmanuel Bassey, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of always counting votes cast during all INEC-organised elections in Bakassi local government area, for Akpabuyo.
Hon Bassey made this allegation during a visit of a senatorial aspirant for Cross River South, Chief Victor Ekpo to Bakassi and Akpabuyo chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to consult with party stalwarts and members on his ambition.
Hon Bassey said “I know it is not yet time for campaign but when you finally get the APC ticket, we shall enumerate our challenges to you.
“But let me briefly inform you that one of our challenges is that during elections conducted by INEC, votes cast during such elections in Bakassi are always counted for Akpabuyo thereby indirectly disenfranchising Bakassi people and swelling that of Akpabuyo unnecessarily.
“The only way to resolve this is to engage members of the National Assembly for legislation on this anomaly, and we hereby appeal to you that when you get there, please work to ensure this ambiguity is removed.”
Speaking earlier, Chief Efiom said he would work with the people of Akpabuyo and Bakassi to ensure the issue surrounding the suffering of the displaced Bakassi natives, now sojourning in Akpabuyo and environs, are tackled once and for all.
“Bakassi matter will be one of my cardinal focuses and it is an agenda which I will pursue with everything in me when, by God’s grace, I get to the Senate,” he pledged.
