By Emmanuel Uffot
The February 25 National Assembly election in Akwa Ibom State produced two significant phenomenon.
Unlike previous years where Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), always swept both the three Senate and 10 House of Representatives seats, this time opposition parties were able to muscled themselves in and wrestle some seats from the ruling PDP.
For the senate, while the PDP won two Senatorial seats of Akwa Ibom North East ( Uyo Senatorial DIstrict) and Eket Senatorial DIstrict), the All Progressives Congress ( APC) took Akwa Ibom North West ( Ikot Ekpene Senatorial DIstrict)
Similarly, whereas PDP took eight Federal Constituencies out of 10, the opposition APC and Young Progressives Party ( YPP) took one each.
In the results that was announced by the Independent Electoral Commission ( INEC), Returning Officer Professor Effanga Effanga, of the University of Uyo, 
Barrister Ekong Sampson of the PDP poll 79,327 votes to emerge the winner, beating Martyns Udo- Inyang of APC who scored 33,256 and Akparawa Ephraim Inyang- Eyen of YPP 19,336 votes.
The Senatorial DIstrict is the biggest having the highest local government areas being 12, which are Eket, Ibeno, Onna, Esit Eket, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Eastern Obolo, Oron, Okobo, Mbo, Urueffong Oruko and Udung Uko.
Also, the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Hon Aniekan Bassey won the Uyo Senatorial DIstrict.
Bassey who was declared the winner by Professor Enoidem Usoro of the University of Uyo scored a total of 98,634 votes to beat Mr Emayak Ukpong of APC who scored 43,304 votes, Leo Enobong of Labour Party 37,679 votes while Mr Sunday Etim Umoren came a distant fourth position with 5,951 votes.
Uyo Senatorial DIstrict consists of nine local government areas, namely Uyo, Etinan, Uruan, Itu, Ibiono Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai and Ibesikpo Asutan.
For Ikot Ekpene Senatorial DIstrict which was where all eyes were looking forward to, the former governor, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and former Senator Godswill Akpabio of the APC proved bookmakers wrong as he defeated the pre- election favourite Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem of the PDP to clinched the seat.
Akpabio’s Victory which signals his return to the Red Chambers was announced by the Returning Officer Professor Anthony Udo also of the University of Uyo.
Akpabio scored 115,401 votes to beat Enoidem who came a distant second with 69,838 votes, Emmanuel Ekon of YPP 6,841 votes and Okpongette Nsebong of LP 3,401 votes.
The 10 local government areas that make up the Senatorial DIstrict are, Ikot Ekpene, Obot Akara, Ikono, Ini, Essien Udim, Abak, Ika, Ukanafun, Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo.
In the House of Representatives, Paul Ekpo, a former Commissioner under former Governor Akpabio and former state chairman of PDP won the Etinan/ Nsit Ubium/ Nsit Ibom Federal Constituency.
Eket Federal Constituency was won by Okpolumph Etteh of the PDP. Etteh was former Chairman of Ibeno, former member Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and former Commissioner.He defeated a former member of House of Representatives Eseme Eyiboh of the APC who was making a return bid which proved abortive.
A member State House of Assembly Uduak Ududoh of the PDP, won the Ikot Abasi/ Mkpat Enin/ Eastern Obolo Federal Constituency. Ime Okon Bassey also of the PDP clinched the Itu/ Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency which is the stronghold of YPP which has Senator Bassey Albert as the governorship candidate.
Another PDP candidate Martyns Etim Esin won the Oron/ Okobo/ Mbo/ Urueffong Oruko/ Udung Uko Federal Constituency. A sitting House of Representatives member for Ukanafun/ Orukanam Federal Constituency Hon Uyime Idem remain the only one among the lot who was re-elected.
For Uyo/ Uruan/ Ibesikpo Asutan/Nsit Atai, a member of State House of Assembly Mark Esset won the seat for the Green chamber while Patrick Umoh of the APC won Ikot Ekpene/ Obot Akara/ Essien Udim Federal Constituency which is the base of Senator Akpabio.
In Ikono/ Ini Federal Constituency, Dr Glory Edet’s bid to go to the House of Representatives failed to materialise as she was defeated by Alphonsus Okon of the YPP.
Interestingly, in Abak/ Etim/ Ika Federal Constituency which is the base of the deputy governor a sitting House of Representatives member who sought a return Hon Aniekan Umanah was defeated by one Inemesit Clement Jumbo of the APC .
The National Assembly winners in Akwa Ibom State is dominated by first timers apart from Akpabio for senate and Uyime Idem of Ukanafun/ Orukanam Federal Constituency.
For the senate, Ekong Sampson is a first timer. The Mkpat Enin born lawyer, who is regarded as a quintessential politician. Ever since he delved into politics and became the chairman of Mkpat Enin local government his political career has been on the ascendancy apart from the fact that he has served in the Judiciary, legislature and executive which according to him has given him the wealth of experience and capacity to serve his people at the senate.
Sampson had been a two term member House of Assembly. In the executive, he was a special Adviser Bureau for political/ legislative Affairs and Water Resources. He had also served as Commissioner in three ministries. Commissioner for Economic Development and Commissioner for Rural Development under former Governor Akpabio and Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum Resources under the incumbent Governor Udom Emmanuel. He said he will use the senate as a major platform to build bridges among the different pluralities in the district to take Akwa Ibom to greater heights.
Like Sampson, Aniekan Bassey who is going to the senate to represent Uyo Senatorial DIstrict aside being a two- term House of Assembly member before becoming the current speaker, has also served in the Akwa Ibom State exco as a Commissioner. This his district believe has given him that needed wealth of experience to give them effective representation.
The Uruan born legislature is also going to the senate as a first timer.
For Akpabio who is returning to the senate, his resounding victory against Barrister Enoidem, shocked many PDP members, given his status as the International Coordinator of Maintain Peace Movement, the political platform driving the candidacy of Pastor Umo Eno and other PDP candidates which has structures in all the local governments, units and wards. The thinking was that Enoidem will deploy this to his advantage given the internal squabbles that enveloped not only APC in general in the state but the tussle for the ticket between Akpabio and DIG Udom Ekpo rtd who is from Abak -5 that have been laying claim for this particular one being their chance.But the result proved otherwise as Akpabio won in all the local government areas making up the Senatorial DIstrict.
Barrister Otoabasi Edet, State Publicity Secretary of APC in a release on behalf of the State party thank the people for believing in Senator Akpabio, and reiterated the fact that support to Akpabio was well deserved because of his effective representation in the past which will continue during his second coming.
His statement noted that Akpabio’s second coming based on his pedigree will not only benefit the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial DIstrict but the entire state.
Supporters of the Ukana born Senator and former governor are already predicting that Akpabio is likely to be the next senate President.
For the records among the three winners to the senate, Sampson and Bassey are first timers while Akpabio is going for the second time.
For the House of Representatives, all the other eight are first timers, except Uyime Idem of Ukanafun/ Orukanam who is staging a come back to the House of Representatives.
