By Elections: PDP Wins both Slots in Cross River
The ruling people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River on Saturday won the Northern Senatorial district slot and Obudu state constituency by elections in Cross River State.
The federal government agency saddled with the conduct of elections; INEC declared the PDP candidates for the two legislative seats winners of the by elections on Saturday.
The collation officer for the Norther Senatorial district by election, Professor Ameh Akoh said the People’s Democratic Party flag bearer, Dr. Stephen Odey scored 129,207 votes to emerge winner against eight other candidates.
And continuing, the university don said Barr. Joe Agi, candidate of the All Progressive Congress party, scored 19,1665 and Gregory Agam of the African Democratic Congress, scored 388 to get the third position.
The returning officer who announced the result in INEC Office, Ogoja said that a total of 420576 registered for the election, 153052 were accredited and valid votes cast were 152000 representing 36.39%.
Said she, “the PDP candidate having scored the highest number of votes cast is hereby declared winner in line with electoral guidelines.”
Speaking with press men shortly after the announcement of the result of the election Barr. Alphonsus Ogar Eba, Director General Due process commended INEC for conduction of a peaceful election and that the election was fair and free.
He also commended the electorates for voting his party PDP and the Cross River State Governor Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for a job well done and assured the people in the senatorial district that PDP will continue to provide the dividend of democracy for the people in the State.
In the state constituency cadre, Maria Kwaji of the People Democratic Party has been declared winner of the Obudu state community by election slot.
Maria who is the wife of late Godwin Akwaji, former lawmaker and member representing Obudu state constituency in CRSHA, polled 32,166 votes to defeat Dr. Godwin Agbor of the APC who scored 3,546 votes to clinch the second position.
“Having scored the highest votes cast, I hereby declare Maria Akwaji of the PDP elected for the Obudu State House of Assembly by election,” the returning officer, Prof. Abel Ezeoha had announced.
He reeled out the names and scores of other political parties that contested the by election to include, AAC 51, ADC 204, APC 3, APM 71 and NNDP 76 votes.
Meanwhile, INEC has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of Saturday’s by elections in Cross River state notwithstanding the low turnout of voters which seems to characterize Saturday’s by elections in 10 other states where the exercise was carried out.
Our correspondent who monitored the election in some polling units at Ogoja and Obudu Local Governmenet Areas observed that the election was peaceful and that the general atmosphere was calm.
We also noted that election material arrived on time, at all the various pooling units and that the eligible voters conducted themselves in a peaceful manner.
The Chief of Staff to Governor Ben Ayade Hon. Martine Orim told our reporter in his voting unit at Obudu that for the first time, the card readers and thumb print function effectively in election.
He attributed the peaceful election due the meeting he had with his community a day to the election and that his community people were generally peace loving people.
Here him, “I advised my people that election was not war and should not carry arms to kill themselves and to vote wisely to the candidates of their choice”.
“For the first time in an election the card reader is functioning well. You put your thumb print-it-picks smoothly without complain. This shows that there is an improvement by INEC and by 2023 it will be better than this”.
Our correspondent reports that nine political parties participated in the election.