2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Akwa Ibom State
25 February 2023
All 3 Akwa Ibom State seats in the Senate of Nigeria
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party PDP YPP
Last election 2[lower-alpha 1] 0
Seats before 2 1
     PDP incumbent retiring
     YPP incumbent retiring

The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Akwa Ibom State will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Akwa Ibom State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.

Background

The previous Senate elections, only one of the three incumbent senators were returned, with North-East District Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (PDP) being re-elected whilst both PDP-turned-APC senators (the North-West District's Godswill Akpabio and the South District's Nelson Effiong) were defeated in their re-election bids. In the North-East district, Akpan held his seat for the PDP with 70% of the vote; in the APC-held seats, the PDP's Chris Ekpenyong and Akon Eyakenyi won with 58% in the North-West district and 73% in the South district, respectively. Although the North-West result was later partially voided and a supplementary election called, Akpabio declined to contest the race and Ekpenyong was easily returned to the election. These results were a part of a reassertion of PDP dominance in the state with Akpabio and his allies losing; the party also won every House of Representatives seat and retained control of the House of Assembly. The PDP presidential nominee, Atiku Abubakar, also won the state easily with about 68% and Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel was re-elected with nearly 75% of the vote in the gubernatorial election.

In the first half the 2019–2023 term, Ekpenyong and Eyakenyi were noted for only having a single bill each while Akpan sponsored nine bills.[1] During the second half of the term, Akpan gained publicity due to his continued trial for fraud charges and his defection to the YPP in July 2022.[2][3]

Overview

Affiliation Party Total
PDP YPP APC
Previous Election 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 0 3
Before Election 2 1 0 3
After Election 2 0 1 3

Summary

This section is an excerpt from 2023 Nigerian Senate election § Akwa Ibom State.[edit]
     PDP incumbent retiring
     YPP incumbent retiring
District Incumbent Results
Incumbent Party Status Candidates
Akwa Ibom North-East Bassey Albert Akpan YPP[lower-alpha 2] Incumbent retired
New member elected
PDP gain
Akwa Ibom North-West Chris Ekpenyong PDP Incumbent retired
New member elected
APC gain
Akwa Ibom South Akon Eyakenyi PDP Incumbent retired
New member elected
PDP hold
  • ▌Martins Udo-Inyang (APC)[4]
  • ▌Green tickY Ekong Sampson (PDP)[5][4]

Akwa Ibom North-East

2023 Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Emaeyak Ukpong Aniekan Bassey
Party APC PDP
Senator before election

Bassey Albert Akpan
YPP

 Elected Senator

To be determined
To be determined

The Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Etinan, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ibiono-Ibom, Itu, Nsit-Atai, Nsit-Ibom, Nsit-Ubium, Uruan, and Uyo. The district is centered around the city of Uyo and is sometimes referred to as the "Uyo Senatorial District." The incumbent is Bassey Albert Akpan (YPP), who was elected with 70.4% of the vote in 2019 as a member of the PDP. In March 2022, Akpan announced that he would run for governor of Akwa Ibom State, instead of seeking re-election.[7] However, Akpan withdrew on the date of the PDP gubernatorial primary in May 2022.[8] Two months later, he joined the YPP to become its gubernatorial nominee.[3]

Primary elections

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[9] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[10] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[11][12][13][14]

On the primary date, two candidates contested an indirect primary in Uyo that ended with Ndem Ndem emerging as the nominee after results showed him defeating Emmanuel Ekpenyong by a 18% margin. However, as in other Senate and House of Representatives primaries, state party leadership plotted to substitute in a different person—Emaeyak Ukpong—as party nominee; Ukpong's name was submitted to INEC but the commission had previously rejected the substitution plot.[15] However, by the time the final nominee list was released, Emaeyak Ukpong was provisionally recognized as the nominee.

Original primary results
APC primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Ndem Ndem 237 58.81%
APC Emmanuel Ekpenyong 166 41.19%
Total votes 403 100.00%

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[16] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[17] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[18][19][20][21]

On the primary date, an indirect primary resulted in the victory of Aniekan Bassey—the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and MHA for Uruan. Bassey beat first runner-up Uwem Ita Etuk, the former Chairman of the Board of the Akwa Ibom Water Company who had withdrawn prior to the exercise, by a 90% margin.[22]

PDP primary results[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Aniekan Bassey 272 95.10%
PDP Uwem Ita Etuk (withdrawn) 13 4.55%
PDP Usenobong Akpabio (withdrawn) 1 0.35%
Total votes 286 100.00%

General election

Results

2023 Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Ime Edem Hosanna Ndem
AA Calistus Andem
ADP Ubong Emmanuel Ekong
AAC Victor Amaitem Udofia
ADC Victoria Ibokette
APC Emaeyak Ukpong
APGA Essien Bassey Edet
APM Jumbo Oto-obong Daniel
LP Leo Enobong Ekpenyong
NRM Eseme Bassey Ekong
New Nigeria Peoples Party Etim Umoren Sunday
PDP Aniekan Bassey
SDP Nkereuwem Sunda Ekpe
YPP Usenobong Akpabio
ZLP Nnamonso Ituen Umoh
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

Akwa Ibom North-West

2023 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Godswill Akpabio Emmanuel Enoidem
Party APC PDP
Senator before election

Chris Ekpenyong
PDP

 Elected Senator

To be determined
To be determined

The Akwa Ibom North-West district covers the local government areas of Abak, Essien Udim, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Ikono, Ikot Ekpene, Ini, Obot-Akara, Oruk Anam, and Ukanafun. The district is centered around the city of Ikot Ekpene and is sometimes referred to as the "Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District;" it is also noted for its ethnic Anaang majority. The incumbent is Chris Ekpenyong (PDP), who was first elected with 58.4% of the vote in 2019 before being removed and later winning the supplementary election in January 2020, opted not to seek re-election.

Primary elections

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[9] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[10] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[11][12][13][14]

On the primary date, three candidates contested an indirect primary of the INEC-recognised Udo-Edehe-aligned faction in Ikot Ekpene that ended with Udom Ekpoudom—a former Deputy Inspector General of Police—emerging as the nominee after results showed him defeating Joseph Akpan and former MHR Ekperikpe Ekpo by a wide margin; Ekpoudom thanked APC delegates in his acceptance speech before promising quality representation if elected to the Senate.[23] The Akpabio-faction held a parallel primary in which Ekpo won but it was not recognized by INEC.[24] As in other APC Senate and House of Representatives primaries, Akpabio's faction (in control of the state party) plotted to substitute in a different person—former Governor, former Senator, and former Minister Godswill Akpabio himself—as party nominee. After trying to nullify the original primary then holding a new election on 10 June that Akpabio won, state party leadership submitted Akpabio's name as the nominee;[25][26][15] however, INEC never recognised the legitimacy of the Akpabio factional leadership due to its questionable electoral origins and thus rejected the list.[27] In response, both Ekpoudom and Akpabio approached the courts with Ekpoudom attempting to force the state APC to submit his name to INEC and Akpabio trying to force INEC to accept his candidacy.[28] Akpabio's lawsuit emerged successful in September as a court ordered INEC to list him as nominee.[29]

Original primary results
APC primary results[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Udom Ekpoudom 338 95.48%
APC Joseph Akpan 12 3.39%
APC Ekperikpe Ekpo 4 1.13%
Total votes 354 100.00%

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[16] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[30] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[18][19][20][31]

On the primary date, screened candidates contested an indirect primary at the Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium that ended with former PDP National Legal Adviser Emmanuel Enoidem's victory as none of his opponents received any votes.[22]

PDP primary results[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Emmanuel Enoidem 329 100.00%
PDP Other candidates 0 0.00%
Total votes 329 100.00%

General election

Results

2023 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Martins Inyang
AA Etiuwem Nnamnso Eshiet
ADP Thursday Tim Akpan
AAC Ubong Hanson Mbat
ADC Raphael Edwin Amos
APC Godswill Akpabio
APGA Augustine Akpaetor
LP Okpongete Nseobong Nseobong
NRM Akamimo Fidelis Udonkang
New Nigeria Peoples Party Dominic Ayong
PDP Emmanuel Enoidem
SDP Gogwin Etim Udo
YPP Emmanuel Bartholomew Ekon
ZLP Udo Bassey Ebienang
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

Akwa Ibom South

2023 Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Martins Udo-Inyang Ekong Sampson
Party APC PDP
Senator before election

Akon Eyakenyi
PDP

 Elected Senator

To be determined
To be determined

The Akwa Ibom South district covers the local government areas of Eastern Obolo, Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno, Ikot-Abasi, Mbo, Mkpat-Enin, Okobo, Onna, Oron, Udung-Uko, and Urue-Offong/Oruko. The district is centered around the city of Eket and is sometimes referred to as the "Eket Senatorial District;" it is also noted for its ethnic Oron majority. The incumbent is Akon Eyakenyi (PDP), who was elected with 73.2% of the vote in 2019, did not run for re-election and later became the PDP deputy gubernatorial nominee.

Primary elections

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[9] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[10] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[11][12][13][14]

On the primary date, the INEC monitoring team reported the non-conduct of the APC primary.[32] The Akpabio faction of the APC submitted former commissioner Martins Udo-Inyang's name to INEC but, like other names submitted by the faction, it was initially rejected.[15] However, by the time the final nominee list was released in October, Udo-Inyang was provisionally recognized as the nominee.

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[16] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[33] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[18][19][20][34]

On the primary date, four candidates contested an indirect primary in Onna that resulted in former commissioner Ekong Sampson emerging as the nominee after results showed him defeating MHRs Francis Uduyok and Patrick Ifon by a wide margin.[22]

PDP primary results[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Ekong Sampson 367 96.83%
PDP Francis Uduyok 11 2.90%
PDP Patrick Ifon 1 0.26%
PDP Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen 0 0%
Total votes 379 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 3 N/A
Turnout 382 100.00%

Campaign

In November, as the election neared, Sampson and YPP nominee Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-Eyen entered into a public spat over the validity of zoning in the senatorial seat. Sampson accused Inyang-Eyen of self-centeredly disregarding the district's history of zoning while Inyang-Eyen contended that there was no zoning in the seat.[35]

General election

Results

2023 Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Esther Arthur Ugana
AA Umoh Blessing Umoh
ADP Bassy Monday Bassy
ADC Victor Umoh Okon
APC Martins Udo-Inyang
LP Dominic Ubong Essien
NRM Duff Nse Akwaowo
New Nigeria Peoples Party Ekereobong Udo Afia
PDP Ekong Sampson
SDP Moses Aniefiok Edoho
YPP Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-Eyen
ZLP Blessing Oko Umo
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 The North-West District's election was partially voided and a supplementary election called. Although the PDP retained the seat in the supplementary election, it was held in 2020 so the party's 2019 total is 2 seats.
  2. ↑ This senator was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP during their term.

References

  1. ↑ Olaogun, Michael. "MIDTERM: Luke, Akpan lead Team Akwa Ibom on NASS Bills". OrderPaper Nigeria. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  2. ↑ Ugbodaga, Kazeem. "EFCC cross examines witnesses in Albert Bassey's money laundering trial". P.M. News. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 Akubo, John. "Akwa Ibom North-East PDP senator, Bassey Akpan, defects to YPP". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Adenekan, Samson. "Download: Full List of 2023 Presidential, Vice Presidential, NASS candidates". Premium Times. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Anthony, Lovina (23 May 2022). "Speaker, former party, state functionaries emerge PDP senatorial flagbearers in Akwa Ibom". Daily Post. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  6. ↑ Ajuwon, Tosin (20 September 2022). "2023: INEC lists Akpabio as APC senatorial candidate, Lawan's name missing". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  7. ↑ Odey, Patrick. "Senator consults Akwa Ibom PDP stakeholders, declares gov bid". The Punch. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  8. ↑ Anthony, Lovina. "Senator Akpan withdraws from Akwa Ibom PDP guber primaries, cites court order". Daily Post. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 Odunsi, Wale. "2023: APC extends sale of forms, fixes dates to elect delegates". Daily Post. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 Nseyen, Nsikak. "2023: APC fixes new date for governorship primaries, others". Daily Post. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  11. 1 2 3 Majeed, Bakare (20 April 2022). "UPDATED: 2023: APC fixes presidential forms for N100 million, adopts indirect primaries". Premium Times. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 Angbulu, Stephen; Ayeni, Victor; Dada, Peter; Naku, Dennis; Ede, Raphael (21 April 2022). "Presidential primary: APC silent on zoning, Nigerians condemn N100m nomination fee". The Punch. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (May 11, 2022). "NEW DATES" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  14. 1 2 3 APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (May 18, 2022). "ADJUSTED TIMETABLE" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  15. 1 2 3 Addeh, Emmanuel. "Concerns Mount over Swapping of Authentic List of APC Parliamentary Candidates in Akwa Ibom". ThisDay. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 Angbulu, Stephen (21 April 2022). "2023: PDP extends sale of forms for fourth time". The Punch. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  17. ↑ "IPOB's Sit-At-Home Forces PDP To Shift Primaries In South East". Daily Trust. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 Yakubu, Dirisu (16 March 2022). "[BREAKING] 2023: PDP Presidential primary holds in May". Vanguard. Abuja. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  19. 1 2 3 Akpan, Samuel (17 March 2022). "2023: PDP releases pre-election schedule, fixes presidential primary poll for May 28". TheCable. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 Official PDP Nigeria [@OfficialPDPNig] (May 5, 2022). "2023 General Elections: @OfficialPDPNig updated Time Table and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general elections. See below" (Tweet). Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ Oyeleke, Sodiq. "2023: Again, PDP adjusts dates for primaries". The Punch. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Anthony, Lovina. "Speaker, former party, state functionaries emerge PDP senatorial flagbearers in Akwa Ibom". Daily Post. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  23. 1 2 Anthony, Bassey. "Rtd DIG Ekpoudom emerges A/Ibom Northwest APC Senatorial candidate". The Nation. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Anthony, Lovina. "Ekpo emerges APC Senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North West". Daily Post. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  25. ↑ Ukpong, Cletus. "2023: Akpabio 'wins' Akwa Ibom APC senate ticket". Premium Times. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  26. ↑ Emanuel, Harris. "Ekpoudom kicks as APC submits Akpabio's name, others to INEC". Vanguard. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  27. ↑ Gbadegesin, Marvellous. "INEC Rejects Akpabio, Recognises Udom Ekpoudom As APC Senatorial Candidate". SolaceBase. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  28. ↑ Imukudo, Saviour. "2023: Akpabio suffers setback in court over senatorial ambition". Premium Times. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  29. ↑ Ajuwon, Tosin. "2023: INEC lists Akpabio as APC senatorial candidate, Lawan's name missing". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  30. ↑ "IPOB's Sit-At-Home Forces PDP To Shift Primaries In South East". Daily Trust. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  31. ↑ Oyeleke, Sodiq. "2023: Again, PDP adjusts dates for primaries". The Punch. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  32. ↑ Mbele, Kennedy. "Dark clouds over Akwa Ibom APC governorship, senatorial tickets". Vanguard. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  33. ↑ "IPOB's Sit-At-Home Forces PDP To Shift Primaries In South East". Daily Trust. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  34. ↑ Oyeleke, Sodiq. "2023: Again, PDP adjusts dates for primaries". The Punch. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  35. ↑ Bassey, Okon. "YPP, PDP Candidates Disagree over Zoning in A'Ibom South Senatorial District". ThisDay. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.