Ekpere demands to be declared winner of APC senatorial primary in Cross River

From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja 

An aspirant for the Cross River Central Senatorial District, Mary Ekpere, has demanded that she be declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election held on Monday.

Ekpere, a former Director-General of the National Centre for Women Development, Abuja (now known as, the Mariam Babangida National Centre for Women Development), said her demand was based on the fact that Oden Ibiang Ewa, another aspirant, who was declared winner of the primary, was not cleared by the senate screening committee of the APC. Speaking at a media briefing held in Abuja on Thursday, Ekpere disclosed that she had submitted her petition to the Senate Appeal Committee of the party, with her main prayer being that she be declared the winner of the primary, given that she was the cleared aspirant with the highest number of votes.

According to the results announced by the Returning Officer, Eyo Nsa Ekpo, following the collation exercise conducted at the Ikom Local Government Area Council Hall, Ewa was announced as receiving 32,426 votes, while Ekpere was declared as having secured 991 votes, while the incumbent Senator, Eteng Jonah Williams, garnered 726 votes.

She said: “The Screening Committee of the party did not clear Oden Ibiang Ewa, his name appeared on the list of the senatorial aspirants not cleared as announced across official channels of the party. I, therefore, was surprised that the same individual showed up to participate in the primary for which he was declared the winner. I was declared second with 991 votes, while Senator Eteng Jonah Williams was declared as coming third.”