By: Udeme Utip, Uyo
There was wild spread jubilation as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom declared Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the Akwa Ibom North West senatorial election.
Professor Anthony Udoh, who made the declaration in the early hours of Monday, said that the former Minister Niger Delta Affairs had satisfied all conditions to be declared the winner, having polled 115,401 votes.
The candidate of the peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, who came a distant second, polled 69,838 votes.
In his reaction shortly after his declaration, Akpabio thanked the people who trooped out en mass to cast their votes for him, promising to represent them well in the red chamber.
According to Akpabio, ” I stand before you all this morning to personally and publicly register my appreciation for the show of love and support which led to my victory today. I am very grateful because you did not allow your conscience to be bought over even when they brought money from Uyo. You rejected their money and voted for me.”
He also disclosed that “serious attempts were made by the state government to truncate this victory just as they did in 2019, but your resolve to protect this mandate has led to this well-deserved victory. I am very grateful, and I won’t take this for granted.
Akpabio, whose speech was intermittently laced with songs, promised his constituents quality representation at the National Assembly.
