Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Akwa Ibom Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, has been declared the governor-elect of the 2023 election.
Mr Eno was declared the winner on Sunday in Uyo, the state capital, by Emmanuel Adigio, a professor and Returning Officer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mr Eno won in 29 of the 31 local government areas in the state with a total of 354,348 votes to defeat his top challenger, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), who won in two local governments areas – Ibiono Ibom and Ikono by scoring 136,262 votes.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Akanimo Udofia, came third with 129,602 votes.
The candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe and Labour Party, Uduakobong Peter Udo scored 12,509 and 4,746 votes respectively.
Mr. Adigio, who is also the Vice Chancellor, Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, gave the total number of registered voters in the state as 2,357,418 out of which 657,959 representing about a quarter were accredited for the exercise.
He also gave the total valid votes cast as 656,422 out of which 12,342 were rejected votes while 644,080 were valid votes.
The Chief Returning Officer said: “The Governorship candidate of the PDP, Umo Bassey Eno having satisfied the requirement of the law by scoring 354,348 votes is hereby the winner and returned elected as the governor of the state.”
Meanwhile, the APC agent, Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo rejected the results of the election, saying that there were reportedly marred by thuggery, violence, and cancellations due to electoral infractions and destruction of materials amidst low turnout of voters.
Also, Ambassador Kelvin Umoh, the YPP agent equally rejected the outcome, stating that INEC did not follow due process in the conduct of the polls.
”Elections were conducted in people houses in Ini, Uyo and Itu and we would take a legal means to seek redress,“ he added.
A break down of the results are as follows:
A – 437
AA- 181
AAC – 393
ADC- 1685
ADP- 642
APC- 129, 602
APGA- 311
APM- 381
APP- 121
BP- 141
LP- 4746
NNPP- 12509
NRM- 861
PDP- 354,348
PRP- 288
SDP- 442
YPP- 136,262
ZLP- 728
Total valid votes: 644, 080
Rejected votes: 12342
Total votes cast:656,422
Accredited votes: 657,959
Total numbers of registered voters: 2,357,418
