PDP wins Akwa Ibom rerun after APC boycott

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the rerun election for Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district and Essien Udim state constituency.

The PDP’s Chris Ekpenyong defeated Godswill Akpabio, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and minister of Niger Delta affairs, in the rerun which was held in Essien Udim local government area on Saturday.

In the final results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ekpenyong defeated Akpabio with a margin of over 50,000 votes after securing 134,717 votes against the minister’s 83,820.

The APC had announced that neither the party nor its candidates would participate in the election.

Ini Okopido, the state chairman of the party, had said: “We have officially as a party withdrawn from the rerun elections in Essien Udim local government area.

“We are so dissatisfied with the conduct of INEC in Akwa Ibom State and we have withdrawn from the elections.”

INEC had announced Ekpenyong as winner of the initial poll but the court ordered a rerun after Akpabio challenged the outcome.

Although the APC candidate said he was withdrawing from the race following his appointment as minister, INEC insisted he cannot be replaced.