APC FUMES OVER C/RIVER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION RESULTS – Wanted cultist elected councilor in absentia.
By Joseph ETTA in Calabar
As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sweeps the local government elections in the 18 council areas of Cross River State, All Progressive Congress (APC) cries foul.
The PDP was declared winner of all the contested positions comprising of 18 chairmanship and over 100 councillorship positions in the weekend L. G elections in the State.
Though the APC as a party is yet to issue an official statement over the results of the elections, however, in a swift reaction to the declared results, an APC chieftain in the State, Mr. Prince Effiom dismissed the election as a ruse.
His words: ”Congratulate? Congratulate? Why should I congratulate them? Even an indicted candidate on the platform of the PDP in ward 6 won because those in charge instructed CROSIEC to give 100% win to the PDP.”
Continuing, he said, “the guy who ran for councillorship in ward 6 in Calabar south has been blacklisted and declared wanted by the police over cultism but he contested and has been declared winner.
According to the APC chieftain, the election was not free and fair. I’ll tell you of my personal experience. I voted in Unit 5 of ward 10 and I can tell you that about 80 of us voted for APC and about 20 voted for PDP. The PDP ward chairman attempted to snatch the ballot box but I personally stopped him. There was a fracas and in the end, the voters were not counted and was taken to CROSIEC like that inspite of voting regulations that votes should be counted at polling boots. There were even no result sheets”.
While insisting that the election was slam, he said, “I will still tell you this. While we were there voting, a former councilor in ward 10 who registered in unit 4 came to unit 5 to vote. We didn’t allow it. She said should be allowed to vote on self-recognition. Can you imagine that. We resisted her. If we were not there she would have voted.”
