The Senate, Thursday, swore in Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Akwa-Ibom North-West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
Ekpenyong of the PDP polled 134, 717 votes, while Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scored 83, 820 votes in the January 25, 2020 re-run election for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in Essien Udim local government area.
He took the oath administered by the Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Musa Abdullahi administered the oath of office and the oath of allegiance on Ekpenyong at about 10:40 a.m. on the floor of the Senate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier turned down the request of the APC to substitute its candidate, Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs after withdrawal from the race with Ekperikpe Ekpo.
Though Ekpenyong was declared the winner of the Akwa-Ibom North West Senatorial rerun election conducted last Saturday, INEC had on Monday through Festus Okoye, its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee rejected the result owing to violence and kidnapping of its officials in the area.
