The 2019 governorship running mate on the ticket of now ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Ekpo Okon has won the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Cross River South Senatorial ticket for next year’s election.
The PDP Senatorial primary was concluded late Tuesday night in Calabar.
Okon, a one-time chairman of the PDP in the State, defeated his co-contender, Dr. Joseph Edet, former deputy chief of staff to former governor Liyel Imoke by 186 votes to 47 votes.
According to the Returning Officer, Mr Festus Ibude, 235 delegates were on the list, but 234 were accredited for the election.
“After the voting, Dr. Joseph Edet scored 47 votes, while Mr Ekpo Okon scored 186 votes; we had one void vote and one absent.
“So, by the powers conferred on me as the returning officer, I hereby declare Mr Ekpo Okon, having scored the highest number of votes, winner of the PDP, Cross River, Southern Senatorial District primary election,” he said.
In his speech, Okon said the party in the State should be commended for strengthening internal democracy which had made it stronger.
Edet congratulated Okon as a more experienced politician.
In the Cross River Central Senatorial District, Mr Bassey Ewa, a former member House of Representatives, defeated Mr Goddy Eta, former commissioner for education, by 102 to 94 votes.
In the Northern Senatorial District, the party had only one aspirant who already is a serving Senator, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe.
