Emeka Samuel, Uyo
Senatorial Campaign Organisation of a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udom Ekpoudom (rtd) has faulted the purported election of Senator Godswill Akpabio’s as the APC Senatorial candidate for Always Ibom North West, describing it as a scam.
Akpabio was declared the winner of a second senatorial primary for Akwa Ibom North West after the first one was allegedly cancelled due to alleged security infractions.
A statement endorsed by its chairman and a former Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly, Barr Uwem Udoma in Uyo on Sunday maintained that Ekpoudom won the Senatorial primary earlier conducted and supervised by INEC, describing Akpabio’s claim as an illegality.
According to the statement, “recall that Ekpoudom duly participated in the Akwa Ibom North West APC Senatorial District Primary Election held on Friday, May 27, 2022, in line with the 2023 Election Timetable and Guideline of our Party. Succinctly, the primary election was properly monitored by INEC as constitutionally required and Udom Ekpoudom, was victorious and declared the winner and the party’s flagbearer.
“Sequel to the aforementioned, we want to state categorically and without any ambiguity, that at no time did our Party, the APC put our candidate, on notice of any cancellation of the Primary Election or that of conducting another Senatorial primary for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial seat.
“We want to put it on record that the mandate given to Udom Ekpoudom by the good people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District remains sacrosanct and is judiciously guarded and protected.
“We hereby assure our party men and women and the good people of the Senatorial district that DIG Udom Udo Ekpoudom (Rtd), will under no circumstance, relinquish, withdraw or be substituted no matter the degree of pressure and inducement dangled by anyone.
“Most importantly, the purported “scam election’ held on Thursday, 8th June, 2022 at the Skills Acquisition Centre in Ikot Ekpene is nothing but illegal, deceitful, unconstitutional, and legally defective.”
It appealed to Ekpoudom’s supporters to remain calm and steadfast as he is prepared to defend the mandate given to him by the people of the area.
