… as groups felicitate with winner

Cyril Ogar

The Incumbent Member representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency in the House of Representative Rt Hon Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has picked the People’s Democratic Party ticket for the Cross River North Senatorial Bye-election scheduled for October 31, 2020.

Agom reportedly defeated four other contestants. Agom scored 381 votes to beat his closest challenger Stephen Odey who scored 71 votes.

Mrs. Martina Odom scored 8 votes, Mrs. Ije scored 5 votes while Hon. Ogana Lukpata scored 3 votes.

INEC monitoring team from Abuja who observed the primary and members of the PDP congress committee observed the process which had large delegates turn out on Saturday said the exercise was “conducted in line with INEC guidelines and was, therefore, satisfactory.

The presiding officer described the process as peaceful and orderly, declared Jarigbe as the winner of the primary election having scored the highest number of votes.

However, Dr. Stephen Odey’s camp has rejected the purported emergence of Jarigbe, declaring that he (Odey ) was the authentic winner of the Primary conducted in Ogoja at the weekend.

Speaking with Journalists on Sunday, Jarigbe said he was the authentic candidate of the People’s Democratic Party for the Northern Senatorial election come October 31, 2020, and remains so.

according to him,  “I am the authentic winner of the PDP primary held in Ogoja on Saturday. I thank my people for giving me their votes and for having trust in me as the struggle to liberate our state continues.

“My election was observed by the INEC monitoring team from Abuja led by Mr. Modibbo Belel, at Ogoja, with a list of authentic delegates as declared by the court.

“Let me also restate that it was supervised by members of PDP Electoral Panel including Ibiok Esu and Kenneth Zota.

“I urge all my people in the northern senatorial district to remain calm and work extra hard for our eventual emergence on  October 31, 2020 by-election. We plead with all to remain steadfast.

The election took place in the five local government areas of the constituency, which includes Obanliku, Obudu, Ogoja, Yala, and Bekwara

Meanwhile, the Obudu youth forum has congratulated Hon Jaraigbe for his resounding victory at the PDP senatorial primary.

in a similar vein, Ukelle Development Forum and other critical stakeholders congratulated Rt Hon Jaraigbe on his victory at the PDP senatorial primary.

In a congratulatory message signed by Barr. Alex Edim made available to THE GLEAMER NEWS express their support to the candidature of Rt Hon Jarigbe Agom saying that the people will have prevailed assuring him of victory come 31st during the main election.

The read in part, “Ukelle national Development forum (UNDF) Abuja chapter, I wish to express our deepest congratulations to the capacity MP Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, over your victory at the just concluded Cross River North Senatorial bye-election primaries,of the PDP, held on Saturday the 5th day of September 2020, at Ogoja.

“Your victory is a practical demonstration of the will of God and the affirmation of the people’s mandate and desire for good governance as epitomized by the dividend of democracy you are delivering to them.”

They however called on the losers especially his main challenger Dr. Stephen Odey to accept Agom’s victory as an act God and work together to ensure the victory of the party at the main election.

Meanwhile, two aspirants, Dr. Mary Iji and Mrs. Odom have election faulted the process that produced Dr. Stenphen Odey as a winner, in a parallel primary calling on INEC not recognize such exercise as it falls short of the required guidelines.

Speaking with journalists in Ogoja they said it was a sham for the stakeholders not to obey the court order by using the authentic delegates list adding that the entire process was a sham as it was mostly marred by violence.

According to Mrs Martina “What happened in Ogoja was a sham, the process was a charade orchestrated but I thank God for my life because I have not seen this level of violence in my life.

I thank God for my life even though they smashed my vehicle. But I must confess that, with what happened at Ogoja, Nigeria’s democracy seems to be going backward.

I feel very disappointed because I never expected this from elites in this 21 century, its barbaric and backward and the entire process was a sham and should be canceled,” she said.

On her part, Mrs. Mary Ije applauded the process, saying the real delegates were not allowed to exercise their franchise as they were barred by armed security men.

Her words:” What happened in Ogoja yesterday(Saturday) was very despicable and uncalled for, and I can’t believe that an ordinary primary election could degenerate into bloodletting and maiming of party men and women

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