Ekpenyong: Senate president inaugurates Akpabio's defeater
- Christopher Ekpenyong has been sworn in as the newest senator at the National Assembly
- Ekpenyong defeated minister Godswill Akpabio at a recent senatorial rerun in Akwa Ibom
- Some results from the poll had earlier been rejected because election officials were abducted during the process
Days after he defeated Godswill Akpabio, his closest rival, Christopher Ekpenyong, was on Thursday, January 30, sworn into office as the senator to take over the seat previously occupied by the minister.
A short statement from the Senate made available to Legit.ng said Ekpenyong, who contested and won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was administered an oath by the deputy clerk of the Senate, Musa Abdullahi, in the presence of the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan.
He is now to represent Akwa Ibom North-West district in the National Assembly.
Ekpeyong's oath-taking took place a day after Nigeria's election institution, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said it was rejecting the outcome of the exercise in Essien Uddim local government area.
According to the electoral umpire, the decision was because some of its officials carrying out the implementation of the process were abducted during the polls and later released after they were forced to go against the dictates of the exercise.
The election re-run was also cancelled in some polling areas of other states where the exercise held.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reports that Mike Igini, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the election body, recently indicted his predecessors in Akwa Ibom.
Igini said during an interview that elections never held in the entirety of the state in the past.
The REC added that he had evidence to support his claims, specifically as it relates to the 2015 and 2019 general elections.
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“In that same 2015 in Akwa Ibom, they ‘allocated’ five percent (of votes) to the current president,” the REC alleged during his appearance on Channels TV on Tuesday, January 28.
Legit.ng also reported how the Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) recently described the outcome rerun in Essien Udim as not just victory for democracy, but a proof that Akpabio's political strength has been diminished.
This was contained in a press release signed by the secretary of the group, Solomon Abasiekong Esq., on Tuesday, January 28.
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Source: Legit.ng
