Uyo – Mr Bassey Etim, the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North/East has called for the cancellation of the results of the just- concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Officials count votes in front of voters during the presidential and parliamentary elections on February 23, 2019, at a polling station in Port Harcourt, southern Nigeria. – Nigerians began voting for a new president on February 23, after a week-long delay that has raised political tempers, sparked conspiracy claims and stoked fears of violence. Some 120,000 polling stations began opening from 0700 GMT, although there were indications of a delay in the delivery of some materials and deployment of staff, AFP reporters said. (Photo AFP)
Etim made the call while speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday, where he alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) manipulated results of the elections.
He accused the PDP of mobilising thugs to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections.
He said that no election took place in the area as all election materials were destroyed by thugs.
He also alleged that in Itu Local Government Area, an official of the state government took away election materials, having colluded with INEC officials to give victory to the candidate of the PDP.
He said that the same incident happened in Uruan LGA, claiming that though the incident was reported to INEC and the police, but nothing was done about it.
He said that in other local governments which were strongholds of APC, card readers were destroyed, election materials hijacked and the electorate harassed by hoodlums.
He called for a new date to be set for the conduct of elections in the affected areas.
INEC dismisses PDP’s allegation of hoarding election materials
“I believe that what happened in Akwa Ibom and in particular Uyo Senatorial District on February 23 with regards to the election conducted by INEC is nothing but a charade.
“Judging from what happened that day, where I witnessed irregularities, fraud and violence in the election.
“I forwarded a petition to the chairman of INEC, the State Director of SSS, the Commissioner of Police and the Presidential Campaign Committee, calling for an outright cancellation of the elections in the senatorial district.
“I wish to also bring to your attention, the high level of fraud, violence and other irregularities perpetrated by INEC staff, ad-hoc staff of INEC and members of the PDP during the elections.
“I also call for the change of the third Resident Electoral Commissioner in view of the perceived bias, miscalculation and various utterances made by the REC which was against the interest of the APC in Akwa Ibom.
“I wish to state categorically that no election known to law took place in all the local government areas making up the Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
“And it is my prayer therefore that this election be cancelled and a new date be set for the conduct of the elections into the Senate and the House of Representatives, particularly the Uyo Federal House in respect of these areas,†he said.
Presidential polls: Katsina PDP reject results over alleged irregularities
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sen. Bassey Akpan of PDP polled 147,731 votes, while Mr Bassey Etim of the APC scored 60, 930 votes.
Reacting, Mr Ini Ememobong, the Publicity Secretary of PDP, said that APC had failed in its initial plot to frame up and arrest certain key members of the PDP to avert their imminent defeat.
Ememobong alleged that it was the opposition party members who were snatching ballot boxes during the elections.
Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/apc-senatorial-candidate-seeks-cancellation-of-results-in-aibom/
