By CrossRiverWatch Admin
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Cross River State primary for the Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi House of Representatives was greeted with chaos Thursday as the election didn’t hold at the venue slated for (Cultural Centre Calabar).
The election which was monitored by our reporters didn’t hold after the party faithfuls and other observers had waited for hours.
According to a reliable PDP source who spoke to CrossRiverWatch anonymously “the election did not hold because there are some issues, Savior Nyong name is not in the list and he was cleared, so the party is addressing the issue.”
After waiting for sometime around the PDP Secretariat our reporters got a tip off that the election was holding at Calabar Grand Hotel, Atimbo.
At the Calabar Grand Hotel, venue for the slipshod election, Mr. Eteng Usani Williams (Returning Officer) declared Hon. Essien Ayi winner stating that he’s the only candidate cleared for the election. According to him, “The accredited delegates are 330 and Essien Ayi won with 320 votes.”
Addressing newsmen afterwards Hon. Essien Ayi said, “Sincerely I wish to thank our party delegates for having confidence in me, even though I was the sole candidate, it’s a matter of accepting or rejecting. I thank them for having faith in me to have voted massively for me.”
According to him going back for the 5th time he will effectively represent his constituents. “I will attract projects and development particularly to see to the creation of Bakassi Development Commission.” He said.
When contacted for comments, Hon. Savior Nyong who is contending with the incumbent said, “I am legitimately cleared candidate for the election, and I’m still vying for that office.”
When asked about the election done at Calabar Grand Hotel he said, “That is fraud, the party electoral guidelines stipulates how the election should be conducted, this very election I don’t know who observed it because the venue I was, I saw the officials of INEC, security agencies and that was the venue for the election and we are sure the primary has not been done. We are waiting for the conduct of the party primaries; the list that came from Abuja Honorable Savior Nyong was cleared.”
He concluded by stating that he will seek redress at the appropriate quarters if the election is not conducted.
Our reporters observed that there was heavy presence of Policemen but no sign of INEC and other observers.
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