By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress in Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, has won in 11 local government areas out of the 14 declared by the nation’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The state Returning Officer for the 2023 governorship election in Cross River State, Prof. Teddy Charles Adias, declared results of the 14 local councils to journalists on Sunday evening.
He stressed that out of the 14 local councils so far declared, the APC won in Obubra, Bakassi, Abi, Yala, Biase, Calabar South, Etung, Odukpani, Calabar Municipality, Akpabuyo and Yakurr; while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won Ogoja, Ikom and Bekwarra.
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, who doubles as the state Returning Officer, Prof. Teddy, stated that the results from the remaining four local government areas, which include Akamkpa, Boki, Obanliku and Obudu, were were yet to be receive by the electoral umpire at INEC Headquarters Calabar as of the time of filing this report.
However, the state governor Prof. Ben Ayade, who lost his senatorial bid three weeks ago, to the incubent senator representing Cross River North senatorial district, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, this time around defeated the candidate of the PDP.
Ayade won his Kakum polling unit, Ipong ward, Obudu, with 283 votes to defeat the opposition PDP which came a distant second with 11 votes.
In his remarks shortly after casting his vote, the state governor had said, “This is the last election that I am superintending over as governor of Cross River State. I believe I have done well and our candidate, Prince Bassey Otu, will win this election.”
