All Progressives Congress (APC) Cross River State has adopted Governor Ben Ayade as its senatorial candidate for Cross River North.
Ayade’s adoption by the party has ended APC’s plan to conduct primary for the governor’s formal candidacy today at Ogoja Local Government Area Secretariat, headquarters of the senatorial district.
A letter by the APC national chairman Abdulahi Adamu and national secretary Senator Iyiola Omisore, addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed three constituencies in the country including Cross River North whose flagbearers had withdrawn from participating in the 2023 senatorial contest on the party’s platform.
A development which necessitated the conduct of fresh primaries election to enable the APC pick its new senatorial candidate to replace the old flagbearers.
The constituencies which INEC is to conduct fresh senatorial poll include Cross River North Senatorial district, Isa Sabon Bimi Federal Constituency, Sokoto State and Bauchi Federal Constituency, Bauchi State
A clause in the letter reads, “Consequent upon their voluntary withdrawal, we write to notify the commission that the party will conduct fresh primaries to nominate new candidates for the listed constituencies on Wednesday, 13 July to Friday, 15 July”.
Sequel to that, the Cross River State APC chairman, Alphonsus Eba, instructed all ward and local government executives along with party leaders to conduct ward congresses in the five LGAs that form the district Wednesday and to enable them elect delegates who would vote in the primary on Thursday so that they can formally adopt the state governor.
It means Mr Martins Orim who was the APC north senatorial district flagbearer has withdrawn his interest to contest the senatorial election.
