CLO wants Igini to declare Essien Udim state constituency result

The Civil Liberties Organisation, Akwa Ibom State, has appealed to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Mr. Mike Igini, to make a declaration on the election into Essien Udim state constituency conducted on March 9, 2019, by the commission.

The chairman of the organisation in the state, Mr Franklin Isong, who made the appeal in a statement he released in Uyo on Monday, explained that the non-declaration of the said result had caused confusion among the contestants, political parties and the electorate.

Igini on Thursday, last week, presented certificates of return to Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, his deputy, Moses Ekpo, and 25 members-elect of the state House of Assembly, but left out that of Essien Udim State constituency on the premise that: “Reports from collation officers sent to the area stated that election results of Essien Udim local government were signed under duress.

“The commission at the national level would handle the issue of the council area. As an umpire, we have been given the opportunity to serve the people and our fatherland in the just concluded general election, and that we have done.”

But Isong noted that Igini had not provided enough explanation for not issuing a certificate of return to any of the candidates who contested the election into Essien Udim state constituency.

According to the statement: “It is imperative that at the end of the election, both candidates and members/citizens of the state should know their fate as to who won and who is their representative.

“As it stands, the candidates, the citizens of the constituency, the people of Akwa Ibom State and the political parties who sponsored candidates in the election are in quandary, not knowing the outcomeof thee election and what legal action to take in redress.

“This development is sad and unfortunate as it ought not to be in a democratic setting like ours, where the provisions of the laws are explicit on the functions of INEC and, other institutions in the electoral system,” the statement said.