APC’s Otu declared winner of Cross River governorship election

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s governorship election in Cross River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has defeated his closest rival, Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge winner of the contest.

Results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in Calabar showed that the APC candidate 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.