HEADLINE
Cross River: Tribunal declares Sen Jarigbe winner, dismisses Ayade petitions for lack of merit
From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River states National Assembly Election Petitions sitting in Calabar on Saturday declared Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the winner of the February 25, senatorial district and dismissed former Governor Ben Ayade’s petition for lack of merit.
INEC had declared Jarigbe of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the the Cross River north senatorial district but Ayade of All Progressives Congress (APC) proceeded to Tribunal alleging massive electoral malpractices across 700 poling units.
The Tribunal with
Suit No. EPT/CR/SEN/02/2023 is headed by Justice M. A. Sambo as the chairman and C. Akabua and J. Zululu as members.
Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, was represented by Mba Ukweni, SAN, while former Governor Ben Ayade is represented by Mike Ozekhome,SAN.
In a five-hour judgment, the chairman of the Tribunal, Justice M. A. Sambo, said the petitioners (Ayade and APC) failed to prove their case substantially a dismissed all their petitions, saying there were no credible evidences tendered before the Court to prove that the elections were fraught with malpractices.
And based on that Justice Sambo declares Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as duly elected and winer of the election.
lacked credibility and we’re at variance with their claims.