EXTRA: Nigerians surprised APC won Akpabio’s LGA, says Jibrin Barau on A’Ibom council poll

Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president, says the Nigerians are surprised that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won elections in the LG of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Usoro Effiong, candidate of the APC, won the election in Essien Udim LG at the weekend. However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the other 30 LGs.

Speaking on the floor of the senate on Thursday, Jibrin said there is nothing like elections at the local level because results are allegedly written a week prior to the polls.

“Everybody is surprised that you are able to win your local government. That your APC was able to win. Everybody is surprised in the whole nation,” he said.

“If you don’t know everybody is surprised because it is always 100 over 100 no matter your support in your ward because results will be written a week before the election.

“There is nothing like elections at the local level.”

Earlier, Akpabio commended Umo Eno, governor of Akwa Ibom, for the outcome of the local government elections in the state.

“With people like Governor Eno, there is hope. Not that the elections were perfect. I hope you understand that there is hope for us to have a national dialogue with a view to changing the situation,” he said.

“And so I actually commend Governor Eno for that.

“My colleagues have said it was a very uncommon gesture on his part. And then Senator Abba Moro, you started this, you brought this up, and then you had support across party lines.”

The senate president added that it is a shame to democracy that Godwin Obaseki, outgoing of Edo, “ran the state with10 members of the house of assembly”.