PDP wins Cross River by-elections

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won the North senatorial district and Obudu constituency by-elections in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.

The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday declared the political party candidates for the two legislative seats winners of the by-elections, which was held on Saturday.

Professor Ameh Akoh, the Collation Officer for the North senatorial district by-election, said the PDP candidate, Dr. Stephen Odey scored 129,207 votes to emerge winner against 8 others.

Professor Akoh, who is of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State, said the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Joe Agi, scored 19,165, while Gregory Agam of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, emerged third with 388 votes.

He stated, “The PDP candidate having scored the highest number of votes cast is hereby declared winner in line with electoral guidelines”.

Similarly, Mrs Maria Akwaji of the PDP has also been declared winner of the Obudu state constituency by-election.

Akwaji polled a total of 32,166 votes to defeat Dr. Godwin Agbor of the APC, who scored 3,546 votes to place second.

Maria Akwaji is the wife of the former lawmaker and member representing Obudu state constituency in the Cross River House of Assembly, Late Goodwin Akwaji, who died in July during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Abel Ezeoha, the Returning Officer for the Obudu state constituency by-election stated, “Having scored the highest votes cast, I hereby declare Maria Akwaji of the Peoples Democratic Party elected for the Obudu State House of Assembly by-election”.

Ezeoha said other political parties such as AAC polled 51, ADC 204, APC 3, APM got 71, while NNDP HAD 76.

He pegged the total votes cast at 36,619, total valid votes was 36,114 and rejected votes 505.

Peaceful exercise

Meanwhile, Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner Information and Voter Education at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had expressed satisfaction with the conduct of Saturday’s by-election in Cross River State.

Okoye, who addressed some journalists in Ogoja town shortly after monitoring the voting exercise in Ogoja and Bekwara local government areas in Cross River north, described the process as peaceful.

According to him, “I am satisfied with the way the process is going on in all the areas visited and from reports received from other centre, the election is going well”.

“The voters are made to observe Covid-19 protocols by ensuring social distancing as well as wearing face masks,” he noted.

He further attributed the peaceful conduct of the elections to the physical presence of the Cross River Police Commissioner and top officers as well as the synergy amongst the security agencies.