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‘I'm Tired Of Elections,’ Akwa Ibom Governor Emmanuel Cries Out

January 12, 2016

On Saturday, the recently sacked Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, cried out that Nigerians should come to his aid saying that he is tired of elections.

On Saturday, the recently sacked Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, cried out that Nigerians should come to his aid saying that he is tired of elections.

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While addressing a rally, Mr. Emmanuel admitted he needed the help of Nigerians to escape the impending political nightmare he is currently facing. The rally was hurriedly put together under the name of "Eket Senatorial District Youth Rally". The event was largely seen as a response to a prayer summit and civic reception set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate Mr. Umana Okon Umana.

"Let the people of Akwa Ibom help us move forward. Since last year we have not done anything in the State. Most of our people have been unable to farm because nearly every month we are entangled in yet another election. Please we are tired of elections!" Governor Emmanuel cried out at the Eket rally.

The embattled Governor also attacked President Muhammadu Buhari over the sacking of Dan Abia as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).  Mr. Emmanuel accused the President of undermining the prospect of an Eket son completing his four year tenure as Managing Director of the intervention agency. He vowed that Nigeria will not know peace if his election is nullified by the Supreme Court, noting that not one person from Akwa Ibom State or Eket Senatorial district, which produces 40% of Nigeria's oil, owns a private jet or an oil well.

He admonished the people to defend his "divine mandate" at all costs and called on Nigerians to help him pressure the Supreme Court into delivering a judgement that will be in line with divine justice.

On Friday, in what can only be described as a political tsunami, prominent stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State defected to the APC ahead of the upcoming governorship election in the State.

Leading the retinue of defectors into the APC were former two-time Senator Aloysius Etok, former Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Eseme Eyiboh, former PDP State Chairman Otu Ita Toyo, and former House of Representatives member Emma Bassey.

The defectors pledged to work for the victory of the APC during the upcoming governorship election.

The Akwa Ibom State governorship election of April 11, 2015 was condemned as a sham by both local and international observers including the European Union and the American embassy. While the Card Reader accreditation report recorded that only 437,128 persons were accredited to vote, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) awarded 996, 071 votes to the PDP and declared Mr. Emmanuel the winner of the election.

On December 18, 2015, the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the entire governorship election and ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in the whole of Akwa Ibom State. In response, Mr. Emmanuel approached the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict.