- Akpabio : I ‘II Retrieve stolen Mandate
- Ekpenyong: I ‘ll Widen defeat Gap more
From Akanimore Kufre, Uyo
Politicians usually give up their positions when their tenure expire but not their traditional titles, sobriquets or appellations. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio stepped down as a Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West in 2019 but he never gave up his traditional title of Nta Nta Offiong(the Stars of the Sky). Similarly, when Obong Christopher Ekpenyong, former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, left office as deputy governor, he kept his traditional epithet-Ukarakpa(the largest Whale that controls the Ocean).
Typically, the whale symbolizes power, leadership and strength. The Whale also represents someone’s ability to accomplish goals, and the strength to overcome obstacles. It’s the largest marine mammal. The star on the other hand is an astronomical object that is made up of luminous spheroid of plasma that is held together by its own gravity. The nearest star to the Earth is the Sun while other stars are visible at night. Stars represent brightness, visibility, light, etc.
To many in Akwa Ibom, last Saturday’s Court of Appeal judgment in Calabar ordering a re-run in Essien Udim Local government area of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial zone, signifies a return to the trenches by Senator Ekpenyong whose nickname is Ukarakpa( meaning the largest Whale that controls the Ocean) and Senator Akpabio whose traditional title is Nta Nta Offiong( meaning the Stars of the Sky).It’s practically an epic battle between the king of the Ocean and the king of the Sky. Will the whale wreck the stars? Or will the stars subdue the whale ? To close analysts, it’s a defining political battle for the control of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial jurisdiction with many dynamics at play.
It would be recalled that Ukarakpa(Senatotor Ekpenyong) had trounced Nta Nta Offiong(Senator Akpabio) in the February 23, 2019 Senatorial elections following the former’s victory in the February 23, 2019 election. Akpabio scored 83,158 votes while Ekpenyong polled 118,215 votes, with INEC declaring Ekpenyong the duly elected winner in the election. With that, analysts had declared that Ukarakpa(the largest Whale that controls the ocean) had eclipsed Nta Nta Offiong(the Stars of the sky). But another opportunity appears to have emerged for the Stars to challenge the whale in the supremacy battle. But Ekpenyong still holds the aces over Akpabio in votes already won. Ekpenyong has a total of 114, 973 votes from the nine LGAs in the district that are not affected by the judgment to Akpabio’s 76,917 votes. The 10 LGAs that make up Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial zone, with current dynamics, show the following pattern:
The 10 LGAs: How Akpabio and Ekpenyong currently Stand…
1. Abak(Ekpenyong leads)
2. Ikot Ekpene (Akpabio leads )
3. Ukanafun(Ekpenyong leads)
4. Ini(Ekpenyong leads)
5. Obot Akara(Ekpenyong leads; Ekpenyong’s LGA)
6. Oruk Anam(Ekpenyong leads)
7. Ikono(Ekpenyong leads)
8. Etim Ekpo(Akpabio leads)
9. Ika (Ekpenyong leads)
10. Essien Udim(Akpabio’s LGA: election cancelled, and a re-run ordered by the Court Appeal )
NB:Akpabio leads in 2 LGAs while Ekpenyong Leads in 7 LGAs. In overall, Ekpenyong has a total of 114, 973 votes while Akpabio has 76,917 votes.
In its reaction, the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the APC said the cries of the APC have eventually been answered with the judgment, adding that its candidate(Akpabio) would certainly win the re-run. Nkerewum Enyongekere, APC’s publicity scribe said: “Today justice that was smothered has been breathed and the Appeal Court has revived the hope of the common man in the judiciary once again. The cries and groaning of the APC in Akwa Ibom have been answered by the Holy God who does not allow injustice to triumph forever. He has rescued His children. The Almighty God will lead the APC to victory in the forthcoming re-run election.”
On his part, Senator Ekpenyong told The New Diplomat correspondent in Uyo that the re-run in Essien Udim would afford him the opportunity of widening the gap he would now use to defeat Akpabio. He said: “ The court has asked for a re-run in where? Essien Udim LGA. So what is bad about that? As at now, Akpabio has about 76,000 votes and I have 114,000 votes plus. I am leading him by 37,870 votes and the entire people accredited to vote on 23rd of February, 2019 was 19,425 plus 9,000 invalid votes in Essien Udim… So what do you think will happen? Currently, I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Akwa Ibom North-West. Nobody has taken my mandate from me. He (Akpabio) has to resign as a public officer and contest the election. He has to make up to a difference of 38,000 votes to win. Do you mean in the whole of Essien Udim nobody will vote for me? I won’t relent in my campaign. But you should pity someone that is greedy. He was nominated and confirmed as a Minister and still fighting to become a Senator. When he resigns from that office, someone else will occupy it…”
But the APC’s spokesman, Nkerewum Enyongkere, countered, insisting that while the APC was still studying the judgment, its members are optimistic that they will certainly win the re-run. He added: “We are considering the content of the judgment. Akwa Ibom State is APC state. It is unfortunate that certain events led to whatever is happening today because of the highly purchased level of corruption during the voting period. That cannot happen anymore. There is possibility APC will win in normal situation. We will win the election this time around.” He said: “…the court of Appeal sitting at Calabar in Cross River State in its ruling has nullified the election of Dr Chris Ekpenyong who was wrongly declared the winner of the National Assembly election in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District on February 23, 2019…The ruling in its entirety is a testament that will open up the eye of the world to the misappropriation of justice meted out to All Progressives congress(APC) in Akwa -Ibom State by the National Election Tribunal at Uyo in collusion with unprogressive forces in PDP and INEC Akwa Ibom State.” PDP’s Ememobong, however said the public shouldn’t allow itself to be deceived by Akpabio’s group antics : “It is on record that the margin of victory currently outstanding is in tens of thousands of votes which have not been affected by the judgment of the Court. It is only in Essien Udim that a re-run has been ordered specifically. We are waiting for them.”
The court of Appeal had last Saturday ordered INEC to conduct a re-run in Essien Udim within 90 days. Chief Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta Affairs had challenged the election of Obong Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State. Out of the 10 LGAs in the Senatorial zone, a re-run was ordered in only Essien Udim. To many, this scenario points to a statistical puzzle.Said an analyst in Uyo: “Statistically, where will the 38,000 votes needed to defeat Ukarakpa come from? Ekpenyong is already leading Akpabio with a total of 37,870 votes. The total number of accredited voters in Essien Udim in the last election is 19,425 with 9000 invalid…”
It would be recalled that Peter Ogban, the INEC returning officer for Akwa Ibom State while declaring Ekpenyong winner of the election, said the later polled a total of 118,215 votes to defeat Akpabio who scored 83,158 votes. Not satisfied with the outcome, Chief Akpabio headed to the Election Tribunal to challenge the election, alleging that the poll was marred by irregularities. But the Election Tribunal upheld the election of Obong Ekpenyong(Ukarakpa). Akpabio then approached the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal nullified the elections , and ordered a re-run in Essien Udim local government area within 90 days.
