Different parts of Akwa Ibom State witnessed massive jubilations, following the announcement and subsequent declaration of Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the new elected governor of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Uyo on Sunday.

The victory celebrations spilled into the night and continued on Monday.

In Uyo, the state capital, unprecedented crowd, including women, men, youths and the elderly, trooped out to the State Government House on Wellington Bassey Way, on Sunday afternoon, dancing and singing victory songs, as the highly elated governor-elect, Udom went to proclaim his victory to the state governor, Chief (Barr) Godswill Obot Akpabio (CON) and wife, Ekaette Unoma, at the Governor’s Lodge, Uyo.

At the occasion, Udom re-assured the crowd that he would fulfill his election promises to the electorates, saying, “I will consolidate on the uncommon transformation programmes of the state government and add value to the economic emancipations of the people, for the overwhelming confidence reposed on me by the good people of Akwa Ibom State,” as he also promised to “be the governor of all.”

The election’s result sheet was signed by the PDP state agent and Commissioner for Special Duties, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, while other representatives, signed the election documents for their respective parties.

Receiving the governor-elect, Udom and his wife, Martha, with the mammoth crowd of supporters, Gov. Akpabio, described Udom’s victory as “well deserved” and “convincingly landslide”, and urged the losers at the polls to accept the defeat and come out boldly to congratulate the winner, “just as the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan conceded and congratulated his rival at the presidential elections.”

News Express reports that the election results, announced and declared by the State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. James Ikpoke, at the state INEC headquarters in Uyo on Sunday, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of the ruling PDP scored a total of 996,017 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr. Umanah Okon Umanah of the APC who polled 89,865 votes.

Bishop Samuel Akpan of the Accord Party, got 10,598 votes, while Senator Helen Esuene of the Labour party garnered 8,600 votes to place third.

Other PDP stalwarts present at the solidarity jubilations included the Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe, the Deputy Governor-elect, Mr. Moses Ekpo, the state Chairman of the PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, the Udom/Moses Campaign Director-General and former Military Governor of Akwa Ibom, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, among other dignitaries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Umanah Umanah has remained adamant in congratulating the acclaimed winner, Udom, instead calling for the cancellation of the elections, which have already been described as “free, fair and credible” by both local and international observers and monitors.

•Photo shows Udom