Shock As Ayade Fails Senate Return Bids
Chris Mario
The Cross River State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in Saturday’s Senatorial election, Prof Ben Ayade, has failed in his bids to return to the Senate.
The Governor, who was contesting for Cross River Northern Senatorial District seat, was defeated by Senator JarIgbe Agom Jarigbe of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Returning Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Emanghe, who declared Senator Jarigbe winner, early Monday, said whereas Senator Jarigbe polled 76,145 votes, his opponent, Governor Ayade could only score 56, 595 votes.
“By the powers conferred on me as returning officer, I hereby announce and declare Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as winner of the just concluded Cross River North Senatorial District election having scored the highest vote,” he stated.
He commended everyone who had been in the field, the media, and security agents for contributing to a successful poll.
Senator Jarigbe Agom, who was seeking a re-election into the Red Chamber, had been a thorn in the flesh of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State.
In 2021, he became a Senator after defeating the Governor’s candidate, Dr Stephen Odey, in an INEC-ordered rerun shortly after the demise of Senator Rose Oko.
Furthermore, unconfirmed reports indicated that APC candidates in both the Southern and Central Senatorial Districts were leading their PDP counterparts with a wide margin too.
With this development, the APC is likely to produce two Senators while the PDP would have one.
