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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River State National Assembly Election Petitions sitting in Calabar yesterday declared Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the winner of the February 25, senatorial district election and dismissed former Governor Ben Ayade’s petition for lack of merit.
INEC had declared Jarigbe of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Cross River North Senatorial District but Ayade of the All Progressives Congress (APC) proceeded to the Tribunal alleging massive electoral malpractices across 700 poling units.
The Tribunal, which adjudicated on the petition, Suit No. EPT/CR/SEN/02/2023, is headed by Justice M. A. Sambo as the chairman and C. Akabua and J. Zululu as members.
Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe,was represented by Mba Ukweni, a senior advocate while former Governor Ben Ayade was represented by Mike Ozekhome, also a senior advocate.
In a five-hour judgment, the chairman of the Tribunal, Justice M. A. Sambo, said the petitioners (Ayade and APC) failed to prove their case substantially and dismissed all their petitions, saying there were no credible evidences tendered before the Court to prove that the elections were fraught with malpractices.
Based on that Justice Sambo declared Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as duly elected winner of the election.
