Kinsmen of Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, under the auspices of Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District Stakeholders, have questioned the rationale by the Appeal Court to apply card reader in nullifying the Akwa Ibom State governorship election when the same card reader was declared irrelevant in Lagos and Yobe states elections.

The stakeholders equally expressed surprise at the appellate court for upholding the election of 22 out of 26 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state House of Assembly when both the governorship and the assembly elections were conducted same day after same accreditation and processes were applied.

The people condemned recent outburst of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, that the APC will forcefully take Akwa Ibom State from PDP by all means.

Rising from a marathon meeting held at the country home of Senator Akpabio, Ukana, Esseien Udim Local Government Area of the state, the people expressed concern that the comment by the APC National Chairman was sub-judice since the governorship election was still pending at the Court of Appeal and two days before the judgment.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting said the position of Oyegun corroborated the APC strategic position paper that had been widely publicised detailed plot by the party to circumvent due processes and use underhand tactics to ride roughshod over PDP in Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States among others.

The 18-point communiqué stressed that the district stood by the election of the PDP governorship candidate, Udom Emmanuel, and his Deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, in a free and fair election held on April 11, 2015.

The stakeholders insisted that the election of Emmanuel from Akwa Ibom South (Eket) senatorial district was based on the need for equity, fairness, justice and fair play as well as the principle of rotation of power and zoning.

According to them, the mandate given to Emmanuel reflected the resolve of the good people of the state to be fair and just to Eket senatorial district.

They noted that Uyo senatorial district had ruled the state democratically for nine and a half years through late Obong Akpan Isemin (1991-1993) and Obong Victor Attah (1999-2007, and Ikot Ekpene senatorial district ruled the state for eight years though Senator Godswill Akpabio (2007-2015).

In giving the mandate to Emmanuel, the people unanimously noted that from the creation of the state, Eket senatorial district never produced a governor within or outside the state (military or civilian)whereas Uyo senatorial district produced governors through Group Captain Sam Ewang (Ogun and Rivers States), Idongesit Nkanga (Akwa Ibom), Obong Akpan Isemin and Obong Victor Attah.

The stakeholders said voting for Emmanuel in the April 11 governorship election reflected the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district and the entire state resolve to stick to the principles of justice, fairness and equity and stand by the election always.

The Ikot Ekpene senatorial district expressed faith in the judiciary as the beacon of justice and the last hope of the common man, saying there is still hope in the annulled 2015 governorship election in the state through the Supreme Court.

They maintained that the Supreme Court decision to uphold the governorship election will justify justice, confirm faith in the judiciary and save the federal government money in conducting a rerun election.

At the meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari was commended on his anti- terrorism and anti-corruption stance but cautioned him on elements in his fold who seek to exploit his victory to their evil and selfish advantage to give peace and democracy a chance in Nigeria.

•Excerpted from a ThisDay report. Photo shows Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.