The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Monday declared Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial election.
Declaring Akpabio as the winner of the contest for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, the returning officer for the senatorial district, Professor Anthony Udoh, said that the former Minister Niger Delta Affairs, satisfied all conditions to be declared the winner having polled 115,401 valid votes.
According to a statement by Akpabio Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Jackson Udom, “the former Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs was declared winner in the early of today.
The statement further stated that the collation officer, Professor Anthony Udoh, while declaring Akpabio as the winner of the contest said, he “satisfied all conditions to be declared the winner having polled 115,401 valid votes to defeat his closest rival of the People’s Democratic party, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem who,trailed behind having polled a distant 69,838 votes”
In his reaction shortly after his declaration, Akpabio thanked the people of his district for electing him.
He said, “I stand before you all this morning to personally and publicly register my appreciation for the show of love and support which led to my victory today. I am very grateful because you did not allow your conscience to be bought over even when they brought money from Uyo. You rejected their money and voted for me.”
He added “serious efforts were made by the state government to truncate this victory just as they did in 2019, but we resolve to protect this mandate that  has led to this well deserved victory. I am very grateful and I won’t take this for granted.”