INEC declares Stephen Odey winner of Cross-River North by-election

On Sunday, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Stephen Odey, winner of Saturday’s Cross River North Senatorial by-election.

Professor Ameh Akoh, the Collation Officer for the by-election, who announced the result, said Odey scored 129,207 votes to defeat eight other candidates.

Akoh said the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Joe Agi (SAN) scored 19,165 votes to emerge second while the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Mr Gregory Agam, came third with 388 votes.

“I, Prof. Ameh Akoh of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, hereby declare that Dr Stephen Odey of the PDP having scored the highest number of valid votes is hereby declared the winner of the Cross River North senatorial by-election.

“PDP candidate is hereby declared the winner in line with electoral guidelines,” he said.

In his reaction, a PDP agent, Mr Thomas Aruku, described the party’s victory as well deserved.

“I see the victory as well-deserved because, among all the political parties in this election, it was the PDP that criss-crossed the 54 electoral wards.

“So, to me, we are just reaping the fruit of our labour,” he said.