PDP orders governorship re-run in Akwa Ibom today

Note: Akpabio won the re-run

Daily Sun

15 January 2011

PDP orders governorship re-run in Akwa Ibom today

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat, Abuja, has ordered a re-run of the just-concluded governorship primary in Akwa Ibom State, it was learnt yesterday.

The re-run poll is billed to hold toady at the State Stadium, Uyo, the state capital.

Governor Godswill Akpabio, who won the poll with 1,252 votes, was summoned to Abuja over allegation that two other aspirants, Imoh Udoh and Frank Okon, were stopped from contesting.

The duo had protested to the party secretariat in Abuja, following the decision of the electoral panel chair, Femi Ibitoye, to bar them from the exercise.

Ibitoye had said they were not cleared to contest the poll, leading to series of protests by Udo’s supporters who claimed they were being disenfranchised.

Commissioner of Information, Aniekan Umanah and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Maria Owi, said Akpabio had made a case for their participation, but Ibitoye refused, saying they were not cleared from Abuja.

Meanwhile, floods of petitions have continued to trail the just-concluded primaries for the National Assembly and State House in the state.

Acclaimed winner of the House of Assembly ticket in the Itu State Constituency, Prince Idongesit Ituen, has alleged that he won the election, which was overturned for another aspirant.