C’River senatorial by-election: Jarigbe rejects INEC’s declaration of Odey as winner

The campaign council of Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom  has rejected outright the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of the candidate of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, as winner Saturday’s Cross River north senatorial by-election.

But rejecting the result shortly after that the announcement, the Director-General Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe Campaign Council, Venatius Ikem, Esq, said INEC did not reflect the decision of the Abuja Federal High Court’s judgement in respect of the candidature of Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom even as all documents were made available to the commission.

Ikem said: “We are, therefore, surprised that the returning officer, unilaterally and without justification imported a name of a purported candidate of PDP as the winner of the Northern Senatorial by election of Cross River State, even when INEC had not declared anyone candidate, prior to the election.

“We are aware of a similar situation in Imo north senatorial district by-election where the issue of candidature is still in court. INEC declared the party winner pending the determination of the court cases.

“We implore all our supporters, to remain law abiding as we are resolved to follow all legitimate processes to redress this contrived injustice. Which, to us is at best, a mere ego massage,” he stated.

Federal High Court,FCT,  presided over  by Justice Binta Mohammed had ruled that Jarigbe Agom won the highest number of valid votes at the Septmwber 5 PDP primary election and is validly nominated as the candidate of the PDP for the Cross River North Senatorial by-election.