The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom Saturday won the 31 chairmanship and 367 councillorship positions in the local government polls conducted by Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC).
AKISIEC Chairman, Elder AniediAbasi Ikoiwak announced this at the presentation of certificates of returns to the elected chairmen and councillors at Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo on Tuesday.
However, the electoral body ordered for a fresh election into the Councillorship seat in Ward 11, Esit-Eket local government area on Saturday November 7, 2020, following the cancellation of the exercise by the following reports of irregularities from the process of collation to the actual conduct of the election.
Chairman of AKISIEC explained that by taking over the duty of the Supervisory Presiding Officer the councillorship candidate of NRM in Esit Eket ended up conducting the election for himself during the just-concluded Saturday election.
He said, “Let me say it clearly that elections are done by authorised personnel. People are appointed as Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, people are also appointed as SPO’s, returning officers.
“All these persons are expected to do their work at their own time and their own pace. The report we got from that ward was that the materials actually got to some units of the ward, but they were not actually with the SPOs.
“The Issue is two wrongs cannot make a right. As long as that Materials did not wear started tracking and we found out that people went away with the material, and some of the materials went to the ward.
“As long as that material was not with the authorized personnel, then something was wrong somewhere. “When we received the report we deliberated on it and decided that election in Ward 11 stands cancelled and we have fixed Saturday 7 November for a fresh election.”
The AKISIEC boss noted that the commission would not be a party to any electoral process that is not in line with the stipulated electoral law. He assured that there will be full presence of security and observers, adding that anyone who wins on ground, would be declared winner.
Some of the elected chairmen who spoke with our correspondent expressed joy for being given the opportunity to serve the state in the third tier of government and pledged open door policy to bring democracy closer to the people at the grassroots.
Chairman of Mbo, Asukwo Eyo who has been re-elected for the second term during last Saturday council phone polls, pledged to focus on human capital development to create wealth for the people and reduce poverty level in the area.
“In my second term in office, the focus on the empowerment of the people so as to reduce the level of poverty in the local government. We are going to embark on training of the youth and women in skill acquisition and small-medium enterprises in conjunction with relevant organizations.”
