2023 governorship election: APC leads in Cross River

Governor Ben Ayade won his Ipong ward, Obudu, polling unit even as his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) took an early lead in Saturday March 18, 2023 governorship and house of assembly elections in Cross River State.

APC scored 283 while the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, scored 11 votes and Labour Party, 10 at Ayade’s polling unit.

Speaking shortly after casting his vote, Governor Ayade said, “This is the last election that I am superintending over as Governor of Cross River State. I believe I have done well and our candidate, Prince Bassey Otu will win this election. I am happy with the turnout.”

Going by results released so far as at press time, the APC was leading in not less than twelve local government council areas, including Etung, where the PDP’s candidate comes from

This indicated that Cross Riverians may not have heeded the directives of the State Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN) and former governor Donald Duke for all to vote for the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Sandy Onor.

During the build up to the polls, former governor Duke had tasked electorate on voting for PDP’s Sandy Onor.

He had described Senator Otu as Governor Ayade’s surrogate.

However, Cross Riverians seemed to have given deaf ears to both

The unfolding outcome of the polls proved PFN and Duke’s directives fell on deaf ears even as the former governor lost his polling unit to Senator Otu’s APC with the following result: APC – 111, PDP – 54.

Senator Otu’s APC had reportedly garnered 54,543 of votes collated while Onor was trailing with 37,018 votes as at press time.

Unconfirmed reports revealed that Senator Otu was leading in Odukpani, Etung, Calabar South, Calabar, Municipal, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Biase, Obubra, Yakuur, Obudu, Ogoja and Yala.