Cross River Senatorial By-Election: Jarigbe Reject INEC’s Declaration Of Odey As Winner

By Judex Okoro, The Sun Newspaper

The campaign council of Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom has rejected outrightly the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Stephen Odey as candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and winner of the Saturday’s Cross River North Senatorial by-election.

The INEC’s Collation Officer for senatorial by-election, Prof. Ameh Akoh, of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, who announced the result said, the PDP candidate, Dr. Stephen Odey scored 129, 207 votes to defeat the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Joe Again (SAN) who polled 19, 165 votes to place second while African Democratic Congress, Mr. Gregory Agam came third with 388 votes among others.

But rejecting the result shortly after that the announcement, the Director-General Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe Campaign Council, Venatius Ikem, Esq. said INEC did not reflect the decision of the Abuja Federal High Court’s judgement in respect of the candidature of Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom even as all documents were made available to the commission.

Ikem said: “We are surprised that the Returning Officer, unilaterally and without justification imported a name of a purported candidate of PDP as the winner of the Northern Senatorial by-election of Cross River State, even when INEC had not declared anyone candidate, prior to the election.

“We are aware of a similar situation in Imo North Senatorial district by-election where the issue of candidature is still in court. INEC declared the party winner pending the determination of the court cases.

“We implore all our supporters, to remain law abiding as we are resolved to follow all legitimate processes to redress this contrived injustice. Which, to us is at best, a mere ego massage,” he stated.

Federal High Court, FCT, presided over by Justice Binta Mohammed had ruled that Jarigbe Agom won the highest number of valid votes at the September 5 PDP primary election and is validly nominated as the candidate of the PDP for the Cross River North Senatorial by-election.

The Court in suit No. CV/77/2020 filed by John Alaga, (complainant) held that INEC include Jarigbe as the candidate of the party for the Elelction.