Corps Member, 5 Others Shot In Akwa Ibom Re-run Poll

The elections declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ikono/Ini and Abak Federal Constituencies of Akwa Ibom State which were rescheduled for yesterday were again blighted by pockets of violence with no fewer than six persons including a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving as ad-hoc members of staff among those shot and critically injured.

The re-run polls, LEADERSHIP gathered, pitted the incumbent House of Representatives member for Ikono/Ini, Mr. Emmanuel Ukpong Udo, who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pick the Young Peoples Party (YPP) ticket against former a commissioner, Glory Edet of the PDP.

Going into the re-ordered contest, Ukpong Udo is leading Edet of the PDP with the margin of 4,161 while in  Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, Clement Jimbo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leads incumbent lawmaker, Aniekan Umanah, with 2,962 votes margin, forcing desperation and violence allegedly by PDP supporters who reportedly resorted to hijacking of ballot materials and random shooting of some, resisting officials of INEC and opposition supporters.

LEADERSHIP gathered that out of the 17 units the polls were re-conducted in Ikono/Ini, materials in no fewer than seven units were hijacked by armed security agents said to be loyal to the ruling PDP, with a corps member and others who showed resistance shot in the melee. 

Hon. Goddy Umoh, a former commissioner and current chairman, House of Assembly Service Commission (HASC) who spoke to journalists after voting at his Nnung Udoe Itak, Ward 11, village council hall, described the election as peaceful, but it was gathered that violence erupted around the Registration Area Centre (RAC) and other voting units soon after voting, as armed hoodlums backed by security agents, seized the ballot materials amid sporadic shooting and injury to dozens of voters and officials.