Ukorebi Esien | 29th January 2024
As electorates in the 16 polling units in Akpamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency return to the polls to cast their votes in the scheduled rerun elections to determine the authentic winner of the Feburay 2023 National Assembly election, our analyst, Ukorebi Esien has taken out time to analyse the election comparing it with the rerun held in Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in 2019 between John Gaul and Alex Egbonna.
He looks at the similarity of both elections and tries to question if a repeat of likely to happen where Alex Egbonna came from the back with 7,000 votes down to defeat John Gaul.
Take a read;
In the intricate world of Nigerian politics, where alliances shift and power dynamics evolve, the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency rerun election scheduled for February 2024 emerges as a intriguing sequel to the political drama that unfolded in 2019. Drawing parallels from the past, particularly the Abi/Yakurr rerun involving Ekureku 1&2 in 2019, the upcoming electoral battle mirrors a strategic chess match between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In 2019, the tables turned dramatically as Alex Egbonna of the APC faced an uphill climb, trailing behind PDP’s John Gaul Lebo by over 7,000 votes. The rerun, set in Ekureku 1&2, witnessed a stunning turn of events. Egbonna, against the odds, not only secured the majority of the 11,000 votes in Ekureku but went on to claim victory with a meticulous play, securing 7,000 votes initially and later adding another 3,000 to clinch the seat.
Fast forward to 2024, a similar script unfolds in the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency. The APC candidate finds himself with a comfortable lead of over 2,000 votes. The question now looms large: Can the PDP candidate stage a comeback, mirroring the surprises witnessed in Ekureku 1&2 in 2019?
A historical context adds an intriguing layer to this narrative. In 2019, the PDP held the reins of power in Cross River State, yet the APC managed to outsmart them in a rerun that was anticipated to be a walkover. Now, the tables have turned; the APC is the reigning administration, and the PDP stands as the opposition at both the state and national levels. The lingering question is whether the PDP, armed with newfound strategies and motivations, will repay the APC in their own coin.
As the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency braces for another showdown, the echoes of the past reverberate, creating an air of anticipation and uncertainty. The political landscape, ever dynamic, beckons us to witness whether history will repeat itself or if a new chapter will be written in the annals of Cross River State politics. The upcoming rerun, a battleground for power and redemption, promises to be a testament to the resilience and strategic prowess of political contenders in this ever-evolving Nigerian political saga.
