ELECTION LOSS: Akpabio blames wrong collation, to challenge result in court

Former Akwa Ibom State governor and ex-Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has blamed wrong collation for his loss during the senatorial election last Saturday.

He has therefore vowed to challenge his loss in court to reclaim his alleged stolen mandate.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Tuesday declared Dr. Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the senatorial election in the Ikot- Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State.

Ekpenyong polled a total vote of 118,215 to defeat Akpabio, a serving senator, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and secured 83,158 votes.

INEC Returning Officer, Professor Peter Ogbang, announced the result at the commission headquarters in Uyo instead of Ikot- Ekpene because of alleged security threats in the area.

However, Akpabio who spoke on the matter in a live programmer on Channels Television on Wednesday refuted reports that he lost the election.

“I won. It’s a temporary setback. That is why there are processes . For instance, if you feel that you were cheated or there was wrong collation, you have recourse to the courts, I did not fail; I can’t fail.

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“I believe strongly that there must have been some wrong collation somewhere. Those things will be corrected. We have processes in the election. It’s from one stage; we have to do registration, vote and collate.

“As far as there is a mistake anywhere, you go to the court and get your mandate . My mandate is somewhere waiting for me. My people know that I can’t fail elections,” Akpabio said.

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