Ayade Begins Fight For C/River North Senatorial Seat

Immediate past governor of Cross River State Ben Ayade has initiated moves to recover the Cross River North Senatorial elections which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared current  lawmaker representing the zone, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the winner.

Ayade had in the last senatorial election secured a ticket where he contested under platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and lost to Jarigbe.

However, Ayade faulted outcome of the elections and filled a petition in suit number EPT/CR/SEN/02/2023.

Ayade, who was being represented during the proceedings by Mike Ozekhome, Abeni Mohammed and Murtala Abdul-Rasheed, disputed the result of 310 polling units in the district and tendered documents from the polling units which were admitted by the court.

The legal team also submitted four schedules of documents which were  admitted by the court with some of the documents objected  to by the lead counsel to Jarigbe, Mr. Mba Ukweni (SAN).

He however stressed that his reasons for the objection would be stated in his final written addresses.

The three-man tribunal is headed by Justice M.A. Sambo while Justice A.C. Akabua and Tijiani Jibrin Zololo are members.