PDP: Akpabio planning to rig today’s rerun election

TRACKING___The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has accused the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio of allegedly planning to rig the state and National Assembly rerun elections slated for today.

The party also raised the alarm that Akpabio has recruited the services of DIG Michael Igbizi as well as armed thugs to intimidate PDP loyalists and stakeholders in order to truncate the election. Akpabio is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the rerun election against Senator Chris Ekpenyong of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Akwa Ibom Northwest senatorial district.

He, however, pulled out of the contest and had writ-ten to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asking to be replaced by a former House of Representatives member, Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, a request INEC turned down, insisting he remains the candidate. At a press conference yesterday in Uyo, the PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Emmanuel Enoidem, said Akpabio was planning to replicate the ‘Warsaw’ violence he meted out during the last election.

Enoidem, who is also the chairman of the PDP election committee for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, said: “The ancient English proverb fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me will be put to test during the forthcoming court ordered rerun in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

“During the first set of general elections held across the state on February 23 and March 9, 2019, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the APC made good their promise of replaying the inglorious Warsaw invasion cum destruction. Instead of elections, what was witnessed in Essien Udim was unprecedented violence and a wholesome rape of electoral sanctity.

“The resultant injuries from the infamous expedition was very glaring that the Court of Appeal described the elections that took place there with the worst adjectives ever used in a judgement of a court. “Undeterred by the humiliating defeat handed him by Senator Chris Ekpenyong and his massive rejection by people of his senatorial district, Senator Godswill Akpabio has perfected plans to use foul means to manufacture large votes obviously just to prove that he is popular in Essien Udim even after he has conceded defeat.”