The dispute surrounding the October 5 local government election in Essien Udim, Akwa Ibom State, is gradually subsiding after the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Enobong Patrick Friday, issued a congratulatory message to his rival, Ntiedo Usoro of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner.
Essien Udim, the home of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, became the center of attention when the local Returning Officer, Professor Inyang Ating, initially announced the PDP candidate as the winner with 55,612 votes, compared to Usoro’s 686 votes. However, the next day, Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) Chairman, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, declared Usoro of the APC the winner, stating that he had secured 51,751 votes, while the PDP received 22,799 votes.
The sudden reversal sparked protests from PDP stakeholders, who alleged the result was manipulated to favor the Senate President. Some commentators described the decision as a “political palliative” to maintain the relationship between Governor Umo Eno and Akpabio.
Professor Ating’s earlier declaration was dismissed by AKISIEC as fake, with Ikoiwak clarifying that Ating was not officially appointed as Returning Officer and had no authority to announce the results. The legitimate Returning Officer, Professor Uduak Okon, had submitted the official results that declared APC the winner.
After days of silence, the PDP candidate, reportedly under pressure, congratulated Usoro in a message aimed at reducing tensions in the state. In the message, Friday pledged his support for Usoro’s administration, emphasizing the need for governance over electoral disputes.
Despite this, some PDP members have expressed dismay, calling the situation a conspiracy to undermine the will of the people. They raised concerns about the influence of the governor over the state’s electoral commission and its impact on election outcomes.
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