The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Dr Stephen Odey, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of Cross River North Senatorial by-election held on Saturday.
The Collation Officer for the by-election, Prof. Ameh Akoh of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo, Ebonyi, who announced the result, said that Odey scored 129,207 votes to defeat eight other contestants.
He said that 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 winner of the Cross River North senatorial by-election.
“The PDP candidate is hereby declared winner, in line with electoral guidelines,” he said.
The senatorial by-election was conducted to fill the vacuum created by the death of Sen. Rose Oko.
Besides, another PDP candidate, Mrs Maria Akwaji, won the Obudu State Constituency seat in the Cross River State House of Assembly.
Akwaji obtained a total of 32,166 votes to defeat her closest rival, Mr Abor Adaji of APC who scored 3,546 votes.
The Collation Officer, Prof. Abel Ezeoha, of Alex Ekwueme Federal University of Technology, Ikwo, Ebonyi, announced the result of the by-election after the collation of the results from different polling units.
Maria Akwaji, the wife of Assemblyman Godwin Akwaji who died in July in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will now take over the seat of her late husband as member representing Obudu State Constituency.
According to INEC, nine political parties contested in the senatorial by-election, while six parties participated in the State Assembly by-election.
