Andy Esiet, Magnus Effiong Calabar
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state political empire in Cross River state has crumbled as Senator Bassey Otu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has won the state’s governorship election.
Ótu defeated the Wike-backed Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thus adding to the woes of the heavily factionalised PDP in the state.
Two weeks ago, all the PDP candidates in the National Assembly elections, including some incumbents in the race loyal to Wike except Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe of Northern senatorial district, lost their elections to APC candidates.
The APC candidates won two senatorial, five House of Representatives seats while the Labour Party (LP) took one. The PDP however won one senatorial and two House of Representatives in the North thereby precipitating their misfortune.
Results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Calabar, Monday showed the APC Governorship candidate, Prince Bassey Otu, won in 15 of the State’s 18 local government council areas while the PDP’s Onor won in three.
Council areas Senator Otu won include: Obubra, Obudu, Bakassi, Abi, Yala, Biase, Calabar South, Etung, Odukpani, Calabar Municipality, Akpabuyo, Yakurr, Akamkpa, Boki and Obanliku.
The PDP flag bearer, Senator Onor, on the other hand, took Ogoja, Ikom and Bekwarra.
Declaring the winner, the Returning Officer of the Governorship Election in the State, Prof Teedy Charles of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, said Senator Otu polled 258, 619 to defeat Senator Onor who scored 179,636 votes.
Labour Party came third with 5957 while the PRP scored 3052 to emerge a distant fourth.
“I hereby certified that I am the Returning Officer of the Cross River State governorship election that held on Saturday, 18th March, 2023, and that the election was keenly contested.
“That the margin of votes between the highest scorer, the candidate of the APC being 258,619 votes and that of the second highest scorer, the candidate of the PDP being 179,636 votes, is 78,983 votes, and that this is higher than the number of votes cancelled as a result of infractions.
“I hereby declare that Otu, Bassey Edet, having met the requirements of the law with the maximum number of valid votes cast is hereby declared a winner and is hereby returned elected,” Prof Charles stated.
