Pastor Umo of PDP  wins A’Ibom governorship election

JOE EFFIONG, UYO

Pastor  Eno, who is the immediate past commissioner for lands  and water resources, polled 354,348 votes Senator Bassey Albert Akpan of Young Democatic Party (YPP) who came a distant second  with  136,626 votes while Mr Aka Udofia of the All Progressives Congress (APC), came third with 129,609 votes. leaving the veteran New Nigerian Peoples Party  (NNPP) Sen John Akpanudoedehe to come fourth.

Labour Party candidate,Mr Uduakobong Udoh however came fifth with 4,746 votes.

The returning officer for governorshipelection in he state, Prof Emmanuel  Adigio who is the vice chancellor of the Nigerian Maritime University,  Okereknkoko, said out of the 2, 353,418 registered voters in the state, 657,959 people were accredited  to vote, 656,422 voteds  were actually cast out of 644080, were valid while 12342 votes were rejected.

He said having fulfilled all the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, the PDP candidate,  Pastor Umo has been declared winner and returned elected..

Umo Eno’s  journey  to governorship started in January 2022 when the stakeholders  in the state led by Gov Udom Emmanuel anointed hi..as the preferred  person the for governorship

He has however passes through a number of obstacles including various litigation against  hi, his party or his candidature by either his fellow  party members or  outsiders.

The party agents for APC and YPP, Ekperikpe Ekpo and Kelvin Umo, respectively however refused to sign the results.

The reasoned that since there were reports of violence  and even deaths, in various parts of the state, especially in Ibiono Ibom, the election should cancelled.

Agents of the other  parties however signed the results.