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| Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo, MP representing, Akamkpa-Biase Federal Constituency at the Green Chambers of the National Assembly |
It’s been a month and two weeks after the Presidential and National Assembly elections results were declared and the Labour Party Senatorial candidate for Cross River State Southern Senatorial District, Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo – Dansuki, has finally bared his mind concerning the elections stating that he is satisfied and at peace with himself following the turnout of events of the electioneering processes, but quickly added that it was not over until it is over.
Chief Daniel Asuquo while addressing newsmen in his campaign secretariat on Tuesday, 11th of April, 2023, said he would have restraint going to the tribunal if he had lost the election on fairgrounds. Nonetheless, having analysed the entire results across the polling units he and his team observed several electoral malpractices which were against the 2022 Electoral Act as amended and INEC electoral guidelines.
Adding that having served in the committee constituted by the National Assembly to handle the constitutional amendments and the electoral act as amended which was passed into law and accented by the president, he is vested with its provisions, and having followed it thoroughly during the electioneering processes and thereafter, there are several loopholes which the senatorial candidate of the APC, Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr. and his cohorts violated.
The lawmaker also revealed that as insinuated, he had an alliance with the All Progressive Congress as regards the gubernatorial elections which he said led to the victory of the party’s candidate, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu. He said he approached the 2023 elections with a mindset of Equity, fairness and justice, stating that he stood by that till end and for him back to South was just the right way to go and he also believed the Senatorial seat in the south should also go to Akamkpa/ Biase federal constituency for balance and equal distribution of offices as well as justice and equity.
“For the records, at some point, we had formed an alliance with the APC because we believe in equity, fairness and justice, and I make bold to say that we were part of the process that saw to the victory of the gubernatorial candidate and the most of the APC candidates on the March 18th elections”.
According to the lawmaker, he is prepared to go all the length to ensure the people’s mandate is recovered.
“I will follow the tribunal processes to the end to ensure that the people’s mandate is recovered because the process was manipulated against the wishes of the people.”
“This is the major reason we are in court, which is to recover the stolen mandate of the people, and the tribunal is part of the electioneering processes to recover this. In fact, the court is that final stage so we will engage the process to the end. I am doing this not because of myself, but because of the people’s mandate that has been stolen. The people know who they voted for and it would be unfair for me to allow their efforts and labour to be stolen without following the constitutional avenue in fighting for them”. He concluded.
