Situation Report From Cross River PDP House of Reps. Primaries

By Aplefe Ojong

Materials for the conduct of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for the eight Federal Constituencies in Cross River State are yet to arrived some locations that are far from the state capital, Calabar

Information reaching CrossRiverWatch indicate that in Calabar South, Akpabuyo and Bakassi Federal Constituency, materials arrived at about 2.00pm and accreditation of delegates commenced at about 2.30pm.

At the Calabar Municipal Council where the primaries for the Calabar Municipality and Odukpani Federal Constituency are held, materials arrived at about 2.15pm while accreditation commenced at about 3.05pm.

Out of 96 delegates from the two Local Government Areas that make up the Federal Constituency, seven delegates were absent, and at the time of filing of this story, voting has commenced in earnest in the Council Hall of the Municipality.

Information reaching us from the Ogoja Local Government Council Hall revealed that materials for the Ogoja and Yala Federal Constituency were brought into the council at about 3.05pm while as at the time of filing this report, accreditation of delegates was yet to start.

Reports from the Obudu Council Hall, venue of the primaries for the Obudu, Obanliku and Bekwarra Federal Constituency revealed that as at the time of filing of this story, (4.35) materials had not been brought to the venue.

CrossRiverWatch equally gathered that materials for Obubra/Etung and Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency left Calabar at about 1.00pm or there about for Obubra and Ikom Council Halls.

CrossRiverWatch also gathered that in a meeting held this morning, there was an attempt by some group of persons to remove the venue of Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwarra primaries from Obudu Council Hall to Bekwarra Council Hall; Yakurr/Abi from the Yakurr Council Hall to a guest house in Yakurr and that of Obubra/Etung from the Obubra Council Hall to Effraya, the Etung Local Government Headquarters, but was strongly opposed, hence the venues remained where they originally should be.

Sources reaching us from the Cross River State College of Education, Awi, Akamkpa venue of the Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency primaries, said that delegates waited in vain for materials till about 4.18pm when they were told that the venue was not secured enough and that the primaries would now be conducted in an undisclosed venue in Calabar tomorrow.

The source also informed CrossRiverWatch that three black Hilux vehicles and a bus carried the delegates out of the school at about 4.20pm and headed towards Calabar and that the vehicles were heavily guarded by military and police men.