The governorship
and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State were conducted under
an atmosphere of peace, despite some skirmishes and cases of ballot
box-snatching witnessed in some local governement areas.
Fights were
witnessed in places like Uyo, the state capital, Nsit Ibom, Etim Ekpo,
and Etinan, while two cases of ballot box-snatching were reported in
Ibiono Ibom.
The skirmishes
arose over choices of governorship candidates and monetary inducements
of the electorate, while the case of ballot-box snatching was said to
have been be masterminded by security personnel.
According to
Christopher Akpan, an eyewitness in Ibiono Ibom, ballot boxes were
snatched in Ikot Ekop Ward 5 and Ikot Uboh Ward 9 by Aduma, the
security outfit set up by the state government, on the directive of
youth corps members at the polling units.
He said the corps
members called in Aduma who snatched away the ballot boxes, carting
them away after the voting had been concluded, without counting them.
In Utu Ikot Eboro
Ward 1, Etim Ekpo local government area, a supposed ACN voter was
almost beaten to a pulp by a mob of PDP supporters, but for the timely
intervention of Emmanuel Enoidem, the commissioner for urban renewal
and rural development.
His presence forced
the mob to stop beating the young man who had started bleeding from his
nose and head. One of his assailants was heard saying that the victim
should have been severely dealt with for daring to vote against the PDP.
NEXT also noticed a
town crier beating her gong and canvassing for votes for the PDP at the
polling booth. The same incidence was reported in Uyo urban Ward 2,
Unit 21, where an ACN party agent, Emmanuel Akpan, accused PDP agents
of canvassing for votes at the polling booths.
In Uruk Ata Ikot
Akpan Ward 4, there was a near crisis situation when money allegedly
meant for inducement of the electorate was said to have been pocketed
by a councillor in that area. It was alleged that the councillor was
supposed to have given them N230,000 for the elections but he brought
only N130,000, inciting a protest from the crowd.
Satisfied with election conduct
Reacting on the
clashes, Mr Enoidem said the disturbances were not enough to be
classified as problematic to the smooth running of the elections.
“In Ikot Akpapan
Ward 4, there was crisis. The people misunderstood the person who was
representing the party in the unit, saying he had short-changed them.
“Struggles have
been recorded in some few units in Uyo, Etinan, and Nsit Ibom,
otherwise it has been very peaceful,” the commissioner said.
The PDP senatorial
candidate for Uyo, Ita Enang, commended the level of security witnessed
during the elections, noting that the development was as a result of
the enlightenment of voters.
“There were
suspicions or apprehension about security situation, but from what we
are experiencing, there is maximun security and no violence. The level
of enlightenment of voters is very high,” Mr Enang said.
The lawmaker,
however, criticised the decision of INEC to put all the votes of the
governorship, senatorial, and House of Representatives election of the
senatorial district into one ballot box.
Mr Enang said the
decision could affect the election results, as the way the electoral
materials were prepared made it difficult to spot one’s candidate.
“INEC could have
customised each constituency ballot papers; instead, all the votes for
candidates were dropped in one box. We could have void votes as a
result,” he said.
Meanwhile, five
persons were feared dead during the elections. The incident reportedly
occurred when disagreement broke out between supporters of the ruling
PDP and an opposition party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) over
an attempt to snatch electoral materials at Ibiono Ibom, Nsit Atai, and
Ibesikpo/Asutan local government areas of the state.
