Cross River LG Poll: It’s Clean Sweep For APC

• Gov Otu salutes winners, tasks them on Peoples’ First Agenda delivery 

BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has swept all the 18 chairmanship seats in the Local Government Councils’ Elections that took place in Cross River State on Saturday November 2, 2024.

Chairman of the Cross River State Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), Dr Ekong Edet Boco, who announced the results on Sunday at the Commission’s headquarters located along Bishop Moynagh Avenue, State Housing Estate Calabar, said it was a clean sweep for the ruling party.

As expected, the APC swept to victory in Abi, Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Bekwarra, Biase, Boki, and Calabar Municipality and Calabar South local Government areas.

Others are Calabar South, Etung, Ikom, Obanliku, Obubra, Obudu, Odukpani, Ogoja, Yakurr, and Yala local Government areas

Dr Bocco, who also served as the Returning Officer for the election, later presented Certificates of Return to all the winners hours after declaring the results.

The Commission Chairman expressed happiness that the participating political parties, their supporters and the electorate conducted themselves orderly and peacefully all through the electoral process.

This is as he commended all stakeholders for their cooperation and support in ensuring the election was free and fair.

He however challenged the elected candidates to be magnanimous in victory by extending a hand of comradeship to their opponents who lost at the polls in order to promote peace and harmony in their respective local government areas.

Besides the ruling APC, nine other parties, including the People Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP) participated in the election.

According to the Electoral umpire, most of the parties did not field candidates in all 196 Local Councils’ Wards across the 18 local government areas.

Speaking on the election outcome, Governor Bassey Edet Otu congratulated the winners while expressing the hope that all newly elected Chairmen would align with his administration’s vision for the State.

Governor Otu, who described the election as peaceful, said; “We have a well-defined vision for the state, and we believe the new leadership at the local government level would understand that they must align with the State government’s agenda and exhibit unwavering dedication to realising good governance for the people”.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Forefront News, the Chairman-elect of Calabar South Local Government Council, Pastor Patrick Archibong thanked God for His grace, blessings and infinite mercies that gave him victory at the polls.

Also appreciating his supporters and Calabar South residents, Pastor Archibong said the tedious and demanding nature of the campaigns have combined to fortify him for the task ahead.

He also thanked the APC for finding him worthy to fly the party’s flag at the election and pledged to ensure that his administration touches the lives of the people in keeping with the State governor’s philosophy of “People’s First Agenda”.