Two opposition parties in Akwa Ibom State, Accord and Labour, have called on their respective governorship candidates, Bishop Sam Akpan and Senator Helen Esuene, to concede defeat and congratulate the winner of the election, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, of the Peoples Democratic Party.

This is contained in a separate congratulatory message issued in Uyo and addressed to the Governor-elect by the two political parties.

The parties advised stakeholders to avoid unnecessary litigations that would distract the Governor-elect, in the art of governance and lead to further waste of state resources.

According to the Accord Party, “as active participants in the just concluded governorship elections, we are in a good position to know that the elections in Akwa Ibom State was conducted in the best of manners by INEC, from accreditation to voting, except in few negligible places.”

It added that, “by our assessment, the conduct of that election was a watershed in our entire political history, in terms of planning and execution, for which we congratulate INEC.”

The Labour Party, in the statement, said “reports collated from the different agents concur that the governorship election in the state was fairly and creditably conducted, except in few units.”

The Accord Party statement was signed by the State Chairman of the Party, Hon. Prince Joseph James; Engr. Akaninyene Udoka; the Treasurer, Happiness Sunday Stephen; Organising Secretary, Utibe Benjamin Uko, alongside Chapter Chairmen and Ex-Officio members across the state.

Those that signed the statement for Labour Party were the State Chairman, Mr. Ekong Charleson; Deputy Chairman, Ambassador James Ekere; Vice Chairman, Uduak Jimmy; Youth Leader, Sunday Godwin Akpan, as well as Chapter Chairmen of the Party across the 31 Local Government Areas of the state.

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Obong Godwill Okon Richman, has joined millions of people in congratulating Mr. Udom Emmanuel, on his overwhelming victory at the polls.

In a congratulatory message sent by the Godwill Okon Richman Campaign Organisation, Obong Richman, declared his resolve to join hands with the incoming government to enhance sustainability of the uncommon transformation in the State, through his citizen’s empowerment, job creation and industrialisation programmes.

Affirming the commitment of his party to the peace accord and growth of the society, the APGA guber candidate conveyed in his letter, the willingness of his team to support the peaceful co-existence of the state through the withdrawal of all petitions regarding the elections, as findings have proven the outcome of the elections, as the people’s wish.

On allegations of widespread irregularities as speculated in different quarters, Obong Richman debunked such claims as spurious and unfortunate, describing same as the handiwork of detractors and bad losers, who lack respect for democratic culture.

He used the medium to call on all those who lost out in the elections to eschew bitterness and heed Udom Emmanuel’s call for everybody to come together and build a virile Akwa Ibom society in the spirit of patriotism.

•Photo shows Udom Emmanuel and wife celebrating his gubernatorial election victory with outgoing Governor Godswill Akpabio and wife.