Despite declaring the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ntiedo Usoro, as winner of last Saturday’s local government election in Essien Udim Local Government Area, a now viral video has revealed that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the election.
The Akwa Ibom Independent Electoral Commission had on Sunday declared APC candidate as the winner of Essien Udim LGA where the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, hails from.
Essien Udim LGA is the only local government where APC had secured victory in the local government election in the state.
But in a viral video online, the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) actually declared PDP candidate as the winner at the polls.
While announcing the results, the Returning Officer, Prof Inyang Ating, declared that the candidate of the PDP, Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday, polled 55,612 votes to defeat the candidate of the APC, Ntiedo Usoro, who scored 686 votes in the election to emerged winner.
However, in a contradictory twist, AKISIEC chairman, Aniedi Ikoiwak, later announced Ntiedo Usoro of the APC as the elected candidate for Essien Udim LGA, while stating that the PDP reportedly won all other LGAs of the state.
According to the video, Ating, a professor from the University of Uyo, who served as the Returning Officer (RO) for the election in Essien Udim, declaring PDP’s Enobong Patrick as winner.
“I hereby certify that I was the Returning Officer for the election held on the 5th of October 2024. The election was contested, and the candidates received the following votes: Hon. Ntiedo Usoro of the APC: 686 votes; Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday of the PDP: 55,612 votes.”
“Engr. Enobong Patrick Friday, having complied with the requirements of the law and having scored the majority of votes, is hereby declared elected. He also received more than 25% of the votes in all 13 wards of Essien Udim. I so declare, and I hereby sign as the Returning Officer,” he had said.
Watch Video Below:
