The recent conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination for Uyo Federal Constituency have been described as been characterized by manipulation and violence by both hoodlums and electoral officers.
Speaking with some of the delegates shortly after the primaries, delegates from ward 7 in Uyo LGA Mr. Joe Akpan and Mr. Edet Essiet in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA ward 5 and some women leaders of the party who refused their name on print all condemned the purported election, saying over sixty (60) percent of delegates who cast their votes were sponsored thugs by one of the aspirant Mr. Edwin Joseph, who is the member representing Uyo in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
According to another eyewitness from Uruan LGA who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that the primary was supposed to be held on Sunday 7, December 2014 but was later postponed to Monday just to favour Mr. Edwin Joseph who might have observed that the entire delegates were not in support of him.
The source said on that faithful day, Monday 8th, December 2014, delegates were asked to report at the State Secretariat of the party at Atiku Abubakar for the primaries despite their request for relocation of the venue.
He wondered why primary could be conducted in the State secretariat in the mid night as well as accreditation. He explained that Uyo, Itu and Etinan Federal Constituency with the Uyo Senatorial District elections were conducted at the same time in the blackout mood of the hall.
According to him, in fact, Edwin Joseph thugs believed to be cultist from different groups mounted the gate heavily armed with guns, daggers, machetes and bottle causing pandemonium everywhere”. “there was security bridge. People were molested, harassed, while we, the real delegates abandoned the entire exercise and ran for our dear lives”.
Another eyewitness revealed that agents of other two contenders (Hon. Perry Ntuk and Mrs. Dorah Ebong) were being seriously beaten, manhandled and escorted out by the police while the entire electoral officers and returning officer were compromised.
Other supporters of Perry Ntuk and Mrs. Dorah Ebong were disenfranchised, materials scattered everywhere, some stolen and sensitive materials scattered everywhere.
Observers described the entire exercise as being rig and lacks credibility which is against not only to the party guidelines but the entire electoral acts, however seeks for the cancelation of the entire exercise.
Other faithful of the party threatened to back out of the party if the proper thing was not being done. They called on the cancelation of the purported election and relocation of the venue with immediate effect.
Speaking with one of the aspirant on phone on the outcome of the primary, Hon. Perry Ntuk rejected the result of the primary in totality, calling on the National officers of the party to re-conduct the election again in a venue and manner accepted by all while the entire electoral officers should be changed for a more credible poll.
“ our question is, how come the actual number of votes cast was more than the actual number of voting sheet released, in fact the primary should be cancelled”. Perry Ntuk added.
Meanwhile information on our disposal revealed that cultist sponsored by Mr. Edwin Joseph of about ten groups were given a million naira each, while they all embraced the electoral officers, police and staff of the secretariat shortly after the purported election. Mr. Edwin Joseph was said to have boosted that he is the landlord of Uyo, as such he could not have allowed anybody to win him.
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