Gov. Ben Ayade has been defeated in his bid to return to the Senate by Sen. Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe, the incumbent senator representing Cross River North.
Ayade, who served in the Senate from 2011 to 2015, was defeated in Saturday’s National Assembly elections by Agom-Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 76,145 votes.
Dr. Emmanuel Emanghe, speaking on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results of the polls around 3:05 a.m. on Monday.
According to Newsmen, Agom-Jarigbe, a two-term member of the House of Representatives, was elected to the Senate in a bye-election in September 2021 after Dr. Rose Okoh died.
Similarly, Ayade who is serving out his two-term as Governor of the state sought to replace Agom-Jarigbe as the Senator representing the Northern senatorial district of Cross River.
However, the re-elected Senator could not be issued with the Declaration Form after his declaration by the returning officer.
Upon demand for the Declaration Form, Agom-Jarigbe was told that it was mistakenly taken to Obudu by the electoral body in the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Gabriel Yomere, who spoke on phone said, “the form was mistakingly taken to Obudu but he can be issued with a temporary one pending when the original one will be brought.”
Meanwhile, Godwin Offiono of the PDP was returned and elected for the Ogoji/Yala Federal Constituency election.
Offiono defeated the incumbent lawmaker representing the area, Mr. Jude Ngaji of the All Progressives Congress, by 36,651 votes to 32,973 votes.
The Ogoja/Yala Federal constituency result was announced by Dr. Wakasor Ofem.
