...Ndoma-Egba Hails Victory
It was jubilation galore in Cross River State as the Supreme Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja today affirmed Senator Bassey Otu as the duly elected governor of Cross River state thus ending four futile attempts by Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to upturn the the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
With this victory at the Supreme Court, January 12 for Governor Otu,, Senator Onor has for the fourth time lost his bid to become the governor of the state
The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos had on November 22, 2023 affirmed the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal of September 26, 2023 upholding the election of Governor Bassey Otu and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey as duly elected.
Senator Otu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was declared winner of the polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having polled a total of 258,619 votes winning in 15 of the 18 local governments of the state to defeat his closest rival, Senator SandyOnor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 179,636 votes.
But Onor not satisfied, headed to the tribunal, the Appeal Court and now the Supreme Court, the last bus stop and also lost.
Onor had challenged the election of Governor Otu on two main grounds that Otu does not have the qualification to contest the election alleging forgery in WAEC and degree certificates. Secondly Onor in his Petition said tu’s running mate, Rt Hon. Odey has dual citizenship and it contravenes the Nigerian constitution and the Electoral Act.
But the Supreme Court five man panel in a unanimous decision threw away the petition for lack of merit.
Meanwhile, the former Senate Leader and ex-Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, has congratulated the Governor Otu, on his victory at the Supreme Court.
Ndoma-Egba, a Chieftain of APC, described the Supreme Court verdict as “a welcome development and final affirmation of the mandate freely and willingly given to Otu”, fondly referred to as Sweet Prince by Cross Riverians.
He noted that with the Supreme Court judgement, all the distractions caused by the cases instituted against Otu’s victory at the polls were over, and the governor would now be able to fully concentrate on governance.
According to the legal luminary, the Supreme Court ruling “was an expected end. This is the last distraction for His Excellency, Senator Bassey Otu and a victory for the people of Cross River State. He now has no excuse not to urgently deliver the infrastructural and human capital development of Cross River State to restore it as the preferred destination.”
The erstwhile Senate Leader enjoined the entire people of Cross River State to continue to give total support to Sweet Prince, as he determinedly pursue the actualization of his People-First agenda in the interest of the state.
Ndoma-Egba expressed optimism that with Otu in the helm of affairs of the state, there are obviously better days ahead for Cross Riverians.
In Calabar and it’s environ, it was jubilation galore as many gathered in different joints clicking glasses while in his Adiabo village it was dancing and merriment all the way.
Eyo Etim, an indigene of Adiabo said, “this is sweet victory for us and we are sure our son and governor of the state will now settle down and focus on the promises he to the people of the state” .
