Cross River PDP stakeholders have hailed the Supreme Court ruling declaring Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe the PDP candidate and winner of December 5, 2021 by-election for northern senatorial district.
The stakeholders including member of the state House of Assembly, former party national officer and councillors described Jarigbe’s victory at both Appeal and Supreme Court as a triumph of internal democracy and rule of law.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday in a split decision, struck out an appeal by Sen Stephen Odey praying that he be declared the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Senatorial by-election that held in Cross River North on December 5, 2020.
While three Justices on the seven-man panel upheld Odey’s case, four other Justices held that the appeal was legally defective, and accordingly struck it out.
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal had in its judgment declared Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the duly nominated candidate of the PDP and the rightful winner of the election against Dr Odey, who was declared by INEC and sworn in by the Senate.
Reacting to the judgement, a member of Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon Effa Esua, said the Supreme Court has finally settled the party crisis and displayed that rule of law is indeed supreme.
Esua, representing Calabar Municipality, said: “We the critical stakeholders are very happy that justice has been done to the people’s choice. We are really liberated by this court outcome and we give thanks to eminent jurists who stood for truth when it mattered most.
“We enjoin all that believe in the party to come forth and let us move on from there as the state is predominantly PDP. He called on NWC to move fast and reconcile all the aggrieved.”
Hailing the judgement, the Director General of Team Jarigbe Campaign Organisation, Mr Vena Ikem, appreciate all those who have assisted in every way possible towards the victory.
Describing the victory as the birth of a new dawn for democracy in Cross River State, Vena advised all those who have helped to elevate the jurisjurisprudence political contention to the Supreme Court, for the first time in our state, to accept the wise decision of the Apex Court and shield their swords.
Congratulate Jarigbe on his meritorious victory at the Supreme Court, he said: “PDP is the love of Cross River and indeed the South South people. We remain resolute in defending and upholding that identify as a political panacea for national rebirth.
“As we march forward without reservation, we continue to encourage dialogue as a v avenue for resolving crisis and or disagreements in any social setting such as this.”
Commending the Apex Court for upholding the victory of Jarigbe, a party chieftain from Ogoja, Chief Mark Agbor, said it is a total victory for Ogoja people that have been marginalised fir ages in the sharing of political offices.
Agbor, 68, said: ” This is the first time since the creation of old and new Cross River that an Ogoja son would be made a senator. It has never happened before even when they have been struggling for the coveted seat.
“Severely, we have supported others and now is the time to support us Suprene Court has stamped and sealed it. We commend the Apex court.””