Prof Sandy Ojang Onor, the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State l, has vowed to challenge the outcome in court.
Onor argued that the exercise was flawed.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election in the state with 258, 619 as against PDP’s 179,636.
But in a press statement after the election, Onor said the election declared results did not represent the will of the people because the process was marred by “a plethora of irregularities. The Independent National Electoral Commission was neither independent nor impartial.”
It added that “INEC officials aided by security personnel manipulated the system, altered results at various collation levels and frustrated the will of the majority of Cross Riverians. Indeed, the election of Saturday 18° March, 2023 was characterized by outright vote buying, intimidation of voters and violence, which regrettably led to loss of lives.
“We express our heartfelt sympathies to the families of these heroes of democracy. We assure you that the perpetrators of this crime shall be brought justice, if not by man, by God.
“This is tailored to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the vast majority of Cross Riverians. We are confident that we will get justice. We appeal to our teeming supporters across the length and breadth of our dear state to remain calm and put their trust in God, who ultimately gives power. “
Recall that a few days before the election, PDP in the state had raised the alarm over massive police deployment to Cross River North by the state government. In a press statement issued earlier, PDP described the move “as part of a grand plan to intimidate voters and militarise election in the area, which is a PDP stronghold in order to rig the election for the APC whose candidate in the senatorial district, the incumbent Governor Ben Ayade lost his bid to sitting Senator Jerigbe Agom Jerigbe.
