UPDATE: INEC DECLARES BASSEY OTU AS GOVERNOR-ELECT OF CROSS-RIVER

March 20, 2023March 20, 2023

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor of Cross River, Bassey Otu, has been proclaimed the victor of the March 18 election in the South-South geopolitical zone by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Otu, a former federal lawmaker, received 258,619 votes to defeat Sandy Onor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a sitting senator, who received 179,636 votes.

Prof. Teddy Charles of the Federal University in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, who serves as INEC’s returning officer, pronounced Otu the winner.

The Commission in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, proclaimed victories for the APC candidate in 15 of the state’s 18 local government areas (LGAs).

With his declaration as governor-elect by the electoral umpire, Otu will succeed the incumbent governor and APC party man, Ben Ayade whose eight-year two-term will end on May 29, 2023.

So far, the results of 18 governorship polls have been announced. The APC takes the lead with 12 states, PDP with five states and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one state.