By Magnus Effiong in Ogoja
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Jude Ngaji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the by-election for Ogoja/Yala federal constituency while Ekeng Efiom Edet of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the Akpabuyo State constituency polls.
Declaring Ngaji winner, the Returning Officer for the Ogoja/Yala polls, Dr Edor John of the University of Calabar said whereas the APC candidate polled 22, 778 votes, Mike Usibe of the PDP scored 20,590.
In an interview, the Resident Electoral Officer, REC, for Cross River state, Dr Cyril Omorogbe, commended INEC staff, security agents and electorates for their comportment during the by- elections.
In Akpabuyo State constituency by-election, the Returning Officer, Dr Cassidy Etta Agbor, said Dr Edet of the PDP polled 5866 votes to defeat Bassey Ekpo Efiom of the APC who scored 5363. Efiom won in 7 out of the ten political wards in Akpabuyo State constituency.
Speaking, the Chairman of the APC, Alphonsus Eba, said the most important one, out of the two, was the Ogoja/Yala which the party won.
He thumped up President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Electoral Act into law and also lauded INEC’s introduction of BIVA machine, saying the machine thwarted rigging.
Speaking on the lost to APC in Ogoja/Yala, PDP Chairman in the State, Vena Ikem, said the party would review its position after tempers may have calmed down.
Vena called on authorities to investigate reported hijack of result sheet in Ogoja by gun-weilding men suspected to be members of special security unit of the Police.
