The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, at the weekend, vowed to align forces with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that Akpabio installs the next governor of the state in 2027.

The stakeholders were expressing disappointment over the action of Governor Umo Eno for allegedly ceding the victory of the PDP in Essien Udim to Akpabio and the APC in the last Saturday’s local government election in the state.

The PDP stakeholders, who spoke to press after the Akwa Ibom State Independent National Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) announced the APC candidate, Mr. Ntiedo Usoro as the winner of for Essien Udim Local Government chairmanship seat, alleged that their defeat was a clear case of Governor Eno surrendering the seat to Akpabio for benefits not collective.

Presenting evidence for their positions on alleged compromise, the stakeholders who didn’t want their names in print, said in ward 2, Odoro Ikot in Essien Udim, PDP had 353 votes, while other parties, including APC had none. This, they said was confirmed from one Imaobong Ekpo Bassey, the Presiding Officer at the ward.

The stakeholders who also presented more evidence in other wards to prove that PDP won landslide, alleged that they would not be deceived to think that APC won without some sort of an agreement between Senator Akpabio and Governor Eno.

One of the PDP political leaders in the area, said he was disappointed that there was a power-play and treading of victory which he noted robbed the people of Essien Udim of their mandate.

“This is daylight robbery and a cheat on democracy. It is a shame that someone is talking about a personal interest over the interest of the people. How will emotions, time and resources be compensated? In this exchange, the people’s interests were not discussed, but those of the very few power mongers.

“The law should not be a respecter of anyone, no matter how highly placed. But, for an individual to upturn the people’s choice overnight using AKISIEC others in high places to negotiate any interest on behalf of the people shows that democracy is already a failed system”.

The stakeholders therefore, feared that the APC take over of Essien Udim, Akpabio’s local government area had given the people a glimmer of hope that the party might have started its capture of Akwa Ibom State for 2027 general elections, a development they said they would support going forward.