The election petition tribunal has declare the election of Akwa Ibom state governorship election inconclusive and has also ordered for a rerun of the governorship election in the state.
The election petition tribunal has ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a re-run election in 18 local government areas of the state out of 31 local governments in Akwa Ibom.
This means that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Udom Emmanuel, will battle once again in 18 local government areas of the state with the opposition party All Progressive Congress (APC) Umana Umana, candidate in the re-scheduled election.
However, tribunal still reported that Governor Udom scored the highest number of valid votes cast. It held that 566,436 voters were disenfranchised as against the 890,000 voters in favour of Udom in 18 LGAs.
It determines that simple arithmetic resolves that over 685, 000 votes did not pass through, the PDP candidates witness denied being so, therefore, they cannot express opinion as ordinary witnesses as the Evidence Act does not allow such there was disenfranchisement of voters in some PUs in the state and sequel to this the election in Uyo LGA was inconclusive.
#Breaking; Election petition Tribunal declares #AkwaIbom governorship election inconclusive and order for rerun election in 18 LGAs
— NTA News (@NTANewsNow) October 21, 2015
#AkwaIbom: Tribunal orders re-run in 18 of 31LGAs. Upholds Udom’s victory – deemed to have scored highest in valid votes cast.
— Chidi Arua (@ChidiArua) October 21, 2015
The affected local government are Eket, Onna, Ibeno, Oron, Udung Uko, Oruk Anam, EtimEkpo, Ikono, Ini and others, while governor Udom Emmanuel, still remain commander in chief of the state.