GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES IN AKWA IBOM ADJUDGE SATURDAY'S ELECTION MOST FREE, TRANSPARENT


Governorship Candidates in Akwa Ibom State, have declared that Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is acceptable and meet the criteria of being free and transparent.

The declaration was made in a communique issued and signed by the Governorship Candidates on Monday.

The candidates under the aegis of Forum of Governorship Candidates in Akwa Ibom State (FORGAK), expressed satisfaction with the commitment made by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, political parties, security agencies and various entities on the electoral process.

Below is unedited text of the communique:


A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A CRUCIAL MEETING OF FORUM OF GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES IN AKWA IBOM STATE (FORGAK)HELD AT WATBRIDGE HOTELS UYO ON MONDAY, 25TH FEBRUARY, 2019.


A crucial meeting of Forum of Governorship Candidates in Akwa Ibom State (FORGAK) took place on Monday, 25th February, 2019, at Watbridge Hotels, Uyo, to deliberate on a number of germane issues concerning our State vis-a-vis the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, 23rd February, 2019.

The meeting resolved as stated in this communique:


1. The just concluded Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives elections, the sixth since the return to civilian rule in 1999, were significantly more TRANSPARENT and CREDIBLE in AKWA IBOM STATE than the five preceding polls in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.


2. The just concluded polls represent a key milestone in the country’s democratic development. Therefore, after reviewing all the field reports by our respective Unit Agents, FORGAK, without any equivocation, eulogizes the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting the most transparent, free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.


3. FORGAK equally congratulates the Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr Mike Igini, for exhibiting professionalism and neutrality despite reported threats, intimidation and blackmail before and during the election. We note with gladness that INEC deployment of its personnel and materials on election day was timely, efficient and has received accolades from all relevant stakeholders for a superlative performance.


4. The forum commends the State REC for ensuring that the just concluded elections complied with International Best Practice and Globally Accepted Standard in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act of 2010 as amended.

5. Agents of our different political parties watched votes being counted at polling units. According to field reports, the announcement of the vote from each ballot was done clearly, and citizens were monitoring the process along with officials and party monitors. The final results were affixed at the individual polling units.


6. We heartily congratulate the good people of Akwa Ibom for trooping out to the polls booth last Saturday, to elect the President and National Assembly members. So far, we make bold to state with all emphasis that, the outcome is a reflection of the will of the people as expressed at the polls.


7. FORGAK also congratulates Akwa Ibomites for their civil, peaceful and orderly conduct in jealously guarding their mandate and proving that the will of the people is supreme in a democracy.



8. We observed that Party Agents from all the registered political parties, were well represented in most polling units. The crop of individuals chosen behaved in a mutually respectful manner.


9. According to Agents of our different political parties, security service personnel played a positive and professional role in the majority of polling stations. We commend them. Nearly without exception, police and other security services deployed within polling units maintained a low, non-intrusive profile and managed both queues and disputes in a calm, professional manner. Women were well represented in the security services.


10. FORGAK identifies with Candidates of various political parties for winning the keenly contested elections as announced by the electoral umpire and charge them to be humble and magnanimous in victory.


11. The forum equally advises losers to avoid any act capable of truncating the peaceful atmosphere in the State, but, accept the outcome of the election in good faith and bow out graciously. Election is not a do or die affair.


12. In the light of the above, the Forum of Governorship Candidates in Akwa Ibom State (FORGAK) calls on the INEC to ensure the status quo of International Best Practice and Globally Accepted Standard in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act of 2010 as amended is maintained, in the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections slated for March 9, 2019.


13. Governorship Candidates in Akwa Ibom, therefore, urge the Security agencies to maintain the same level of heightened security to guarantee that the current electoral cycle is not disrupted in the coming two weeks.




The Forum represents all the Governorship Candidates in Akwa Ibom State. We are:

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The same INEC PDP is castigating.