PDP wins C’ River governorship poll

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Saturday’s governorship election in Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, has been declared winner of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Ayade polled a total of 342,016 votes to defeat his closest rival Mr. Odey Ochicha of the All Progressives Congress who secured 53,983 votes.

The Labour Party candidate, Mr. Fidelis Ugbo, came third with 36, 918 votes.

Announcing the result at about 4am on Monday at the INEC office in Calabar, the state returning officer, Prof. Comfort Ekpo, said Ayade emerged the winner having secured above 25 per cent in the 18 local government areas of the state.

Ekpo, who is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, noted that out of 1,096,781 registered voters only 466, 318 votes were cast for the five political parties that participated in the governorship election.

She added that the total number of results cancelled in some LGAs were 93,100 as a result of irregularities reported by the INEC officials in those affected polling units.

Ekpo said, “The APC scored 53,983, LP 36,918, ID 514, NNPP 982 and PDP 342,016. The candidate for the PDP having secured the majority votes cast and having also scored above 25 percent in all the 18 LGAs. I, Prof Comfort Ekpo, hereby certify that as the returning officer of April 11, 2015 elections, Benedict Ayade having satisfied the law and scored the highest number of votes cast is declared the winner.”