By Obio Monday
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, have both vowed to challenge the outcome of the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State Constituency bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Saturday, February 26.
Chief Jude Ngaji of the APC defeated Hon. Mike Usibe of the PDP in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency bye-election while the candidate of the PDP, Hon. Dr. Edet Ekeng Effiom defeated Ekpo Effiom Bassey of the APC by a slim margin in Akpabuyo State Constituency bye-election.
The parties made known their readiness to approach the yet-to-be constituted Election Petitions Tribunal.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, he said the party totally rejects the election results of the Akpabuyo state constituency bye-election based on series of irregularities.
Ekpang urged the APC's teeming supporters and the electorate in Akpabuyo to remain calm.
He said: "The party seeks to employ all relevant legal means to reclaim our stolen mandate.
“We wish to condemn in strong terms the acts of shenanigans perpetrated by the PDP in Akpabuyo in the name of election, as barbaric, uncivilized and undemocratic.
“This show of shame by PDP can best be described as an injurious rape on our nascent democracy as the whole process was grossly marred by outright violence, vote buying, intimidation of innocent voters and all forms of rigging by the main opposition Party and we hereby reject the election results completely.
“We have enough evidence at our disposal on how the PDP vented havoc on innocent electorate and shooting on target some APC members,” he said.
According to him, the victory of Chief Jude Ogbeche Ngaji on the polls is “a reflection of the people’s yearning for good representation and we are fully convinced that he will deliver full dividends of democracy to the people.”
On his part, the PDP State Chairman, Barr. Venatius Ikem said since 1999, the state has never witnessed an election like this in the northern Senatorial district, which is an indication that PDP is a party to beat.
Ikem said it is pathetic to watch state actors deploy so much force against PDP and voters who had voted in the past for the same APC people who were hitherto in PDP.
He said:
"We won the legitimate vote and we will fight to correct the records, no matter how long it takes. We will fight the fight on principle.
“I bring my Christian Faith into politics. We will fight the just cause. Be rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned in search of the victory we won in the field by your legislative votes.
“Our party members should hold their heads high for you fought a good fight and you won the votes and the hearts and minds of your people,” he said.
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