Akpabio Speaks On Senatorial Defeat For First Time

Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has vowed to challenge his defeat in the February 23 National Assembly elections.

According to the result from INEC, Akpabio lost the Akwa Ibom North West senatorial seat  to PDP candidate and former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Christopher Ekpenyong, in all the eight out of 10 local government areas.

The former deputy governor scored 118,215 votes to defeat the incumbent Akpabio who secured 83,158 votes.

But speaking to Channels TV at the ICC in Abuja where President Muhammmadu Buhari was issued Certificate of Return by INEC on Wednesday, Akpabio vowed to challenge the senatorial result, adding that he cannot lose the elections.

 “I won. It’s a temporary setback. That is why there are processes. For instance, if you feel that you were cheated or there was wrong collation, you have recourse to the courts. I did not fail; I can’t fail.” He said

“I believe strongly that there must have been some wrong collation somewhere. Those things will be corrected. We have processes in the election. It’s from one stage; we have to do registration, vote and collate.

“As far as there is a mistake anywhere, you go to the court and get your mandate. My mandate is somewhere waiting for me. My people know that I can’t fail elections.”