Udo Kierian Fingered In Ballot Box Snatching Incident In Oruk Anam

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By UbongAbasi Ise

All was not well in Saturday’s rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections in Oruk Anam local government area as pockets of irregularities marred electoral processes, with Sir Udo Kierian Akpan, member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly alleged to have sponsored the snatching of ballot boxes at polling unit 009, located at Cooperative Hall, Ediene Ikot Inyang, Ward 10.
Voters were dazed as thugs suspected to have been hired by the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, invaded the polling unit, harassed the electorates and carted away ballot boxes some moments to the conclusion of the voting process.

Mr. Patrick Nkantion, the polling agent who was representing All Progressives Congress, APC, at the unit, told our correspondent that the electoral materials were moved along with the INEC ad hoc staff to the ward center at Ikot Esenam, the hometown of the State House of Assembly lawmaker, Sir Udo Kierian Akpan.
According to a petition letter to the Resident Electoral Officer, Akwa Ibom State, dated February 23rd, 2019, and co-signed by Mr. Nkantion and his assistant, Mr. Augustine Etukudo, snatching of the ballot boxes and associated violence occurred after Udo Kierian paid brief visit to the polling unit.
On snatching of the ballot boxes, the letter reads: “while we the APC accredited agents were trying to rescue some of our supporters manhandled by the PDP thugs, the thugs swung on the election materials and officials and snatched the ballot boxes, result sheets and other electoral materials and ordered INEC ad hoc staff into a waiting vehicle and were driven to Ikot Esenam, the Ward centre, and the home village of Hon. Udo Kierian.
“This action abruptly halted a peaceful, free and fair election that was going on at the center. At our center, there was no official security attached, not minding being on the East-West Road and most at the boundary area with the Ogonis, in River State.”
Patrick Nkantion told our correspondent that INEC ad hoc staff were suspected to be compromising and biased towards PDP as the Supervisory Presiding Officer, SPO, custodied all the sensitive materials in the trunk of a car belonging to a PDP stalwart in the area. According to the APC agent, the materials were brought out at the orders of the military personnel that visited the polling unit.
Incident of ballot box snatching was also recorded at polling unit 015 located at Ikot Obio Nsu, ward 4 in Oruk Anam local government area after voting was nearing conclusion.
At polling unit 023 in Ikot Udo Idem, ward 4, Oruk Anam, there were spates of violence before accreditation even started with unidentified person seriously injured on the head. Meanwhile, electoral processes commenced after normalcy returned to the area.
But there was peaceful polling exercise at polling unit 007, Ikot Ubo, ward 4 in Oruk Anam where Senator Godswill Akpabio of the APC was leading Engr. Chris Ekpenyong of the PDP with 128 votes against 113.
A voter, Mr. Uduak John, who spoke with our correspondent, said it was the first time since 1999 a political party other than the PDP lead in any election at the polling unit.

©The Sensor Newspaper

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>Orgasms In The Mention Of Akpabio

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