TheCable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Akwa Ibom governorship election.

The result was announced on Sunday evening by Emmanuel Adigio, returning officer of the state.

Eno polled 356,348 votes to defeat Bassey Albert of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), who came second with 136,262 votes.

Akan Udofia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came third with 129,602 votes.

Meanwhile, John Akpanudoedehe, former national secretary of the APC caretaker committee who defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and subsequently secured the party’s governorship ticket, got 12,509 votes.

The number of rejected votes was 12,342, while total votes cast was 656,422.

The buildup to the Akwa Ibom governorship election was not without intrigues, especially within the APC and PDP. as well as political party crises over primaries.