PDP gains control of Cross River Northern Senatorial District as Jarigbe crumbles Ayade’s Political Career 

PDP gains control of Cross River Northern Senatorial District as Jarigbe crumbles Ayade’s Political Career

 

Former Governor Ben Ayade’s political career faced a significant setback as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) solidified its dominance in the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River State, securing victory in the recent re-run elections for two state assembly seats.

 

Led by its political leader in the area and incumbent Senator representing Cross River North in the National Assembly, the PDP clinched triumphs in the Obanliku and Yala II state constituencies.

 

READ ALSO| PDP, APC win rerun elections in Cross River  

 

In the Obanliku re-run, Ashakia Pius of the PDP garnered 275 votes across two polling units, extending his total tally to 10,587 votes. His closest rival, Sunday Achunekang of the APC, managed 243 votes, bringing his total to 10,427 votes. The returning officer, Dr. Blessing Anyalebechi, declared Ashakia as the winner.

 

Meanwhile, in the Yala II re-run, Dr. Martins Achadu of the PDP secured victory with 9,168 votes, defeating Mrs. Cynthia Nkassi of the APC, who polled 8,647 votes. The returning officer, Mrs. Dorathy Inyang, declared Achadu as the winner.

 

With these wins, the PDP now controls two House of Representatives seats, a Senate seat, and three State House of Assembly seats in the Northern Senatorial District, while the APC holds only two State House of Assembly seats, Labour Party one seat.

 

Reacting to the victory, Senator Agom Jarigbe, the political leader of the PDP in the area, expressed gratitude to the constituents for their unwavering support. He reassured them of the party’s commitment to fulfilling electoral promises and working for the benefit of the people.

 

In a related development, the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency Bye Elections saw Emil Inyang of the APC emerge victorious, consolidating the party’s influence in the southern senatorial district. Inyang secured victory in seventeen polling units, while his PDP rival, Austin Aidam, won in two units.

 

The recent electoral outcomes underscore the PDP’s stronghold in the Northern Senatorial District and the APC’s continued influence in the southern senatorial district, setting the stage for further political dynamics in Cross River State.

 

How Jarigbe Crumbles Ayade’s Political Career 

 

News Week Nigeria had earlier reported that the Appeal Court sitting in Lagos had dismissed the appeal of former Governor Ben Ayade and reaffirmed Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the authentic winner of the February 25 National Assembly election for Cross River North senatorial district. The Court dismissed APC Ayade’s petition with a cost of N500, 000.

 

Ayade lost the February election to the incumbent senator, Jarigbe.

 

The former governor, who was in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, lost the National Assembly elections conducted on Saturday with 56,595 votes against Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party who scored 76,145 votes.

 

Earlier in September, the Cross River State National Assembly Election Petitions sitting in Calabar had declared Jarigbe as the winner of the February 25, senatorial district elections and dismissed Ayade’s petition for lack of merit.

 

In the five-hour judgment, the chairman of the Tribunal, Justice M. A. Sambo, said the petitioners (Ayade and APC) failed to prove their case substantially a dismissed all their petitions, saying there were no credible evidences tendered before the Court to prove that the elections were fraught with malpractices.

 

Jarigbe, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, was elected into the Senate through a bye-election in September 2021 following the death of Dr Rose Oko.