Buhari’s victory: Sunny Jackson celebrates with APC supporters *calls for transfer of A’Ibom INEC commissioner

*accuses Paul Ekpo of rigging 

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

It was a celebration galore last Friday at Nkana  Village, the home town of the Chairman, Elders Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Organization, Otuekong Sunny Jackson as members of the APC in Etinan Chapter turned out en-mass to celebrate the victory of the new Nigeria’s president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari who was the APC presidential candidate in the just concluded presidential election that took place on the 28th March, 2015.

The celebration which started shortly after a closed door meeting between Otuekong Sunny Jackson and stakeholders, chapter and wards executives as well as members of the party in Etinan Local Government Area, attracted the environs of Ukana village.

Speaking, Otuekong Sunny Jackson said the reason he called for the celebration at his compound was because he was happy to be part of the history marking in Nigeria, adding that it was a surprise since the beginning of politics in Nigeria, opposition party had never won the presidential election in the history of Nigeria. “I call my fellow party men to come and join me drink to the toast because this is the beginning of freedom. If this is possible at the National level, then it is possible also in Akwa Ibom State, our APC governorship candidate, Obong Umana Umana will win on Saturday.”

While maintaining that the President-elect, Buhari would affect the positive change Nigerians were asking for, he described the victory as a victory for democracy. The APC chieftain expressed confidence that Buhari’s administration would bring hope to the common man in Akwa Ibom in particular and Nigeria in general. 

 Speaking on the just concluded election, Otuekong Jackson said there was nothing like free and fair election in Akwa Ibom State. “The problem that we had was that election was not free and fair in Akwa Ibom State as speculated by INEC, otherwise APC candidates would have won, because all of our candidates were on ground, particularly I want to make reference to my unit in Etinan LGA, after the accreditation, some government officials led by the PDP state chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo drove in with armed policemen, scattered the line, the policemen shot in the air and hijacked all the election materials and took them aware and that was what he (Paul Ekpo) did in all the polling units in Etinan. As a party state chairman, I did not expect Paul Ekpo to be involved in election rigging. How can a state chairman go round the Local Government Area with thugs to be intimidating people? We had already launched a report to the appropriate authorities.”     

Speaking further, Otuekong Jackson who is the political leader of Uyo Senatorial District, said the APC is well prepared ahead of the Saturday election and that they have put everything in place to ensure that the party sweeps all the House of Assembly seats on Saturday and above all, the party’s governorship candidate Obong Umana Umana will emerge winner, Stressing that if the status quo of what happened on 28th March remains, it will be very difficult for any other party to win even as he called for the transfer of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Austin Okogie before the election on Saturday. 

According to Sunny Jackson, “If the federal government wants a free and fair election in Akwa Ibom State, they should immediately transfer the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Austin Okogie because he has compromised very openly and we are aware.” 

He emphasized that if the Akwa Ibom State INEC commissioner is transferred before Saturday and the election is being kept on ground, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates will win on Saturday’s election. He urged supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) across the state to come out massively and vote the party’s governorship candidates Obong Umana Umana and the House of Assembly candidates on Saturday’s election.