Nyok|11 August 2018
High Chief Edem Duke, a gubernatorial aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has directed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be given the conducive environment to enable the electoral umpire conduct a free and fair election in the ongoing bye-election into the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly holding in Obudu NegroidHaven can report authoritatively.
Duke who said that the bye-election billed for today shouldn't deteriorate into a chaos such that results will be declared inconclusive made his disposition known this week while addressing newsmen in Calabar as a build up to the bye-election. According to him, Cross Riverians especially those to be involved directly in the elections in Obudu are related in one way or the other being brothers and sisters. He further sued for the spirit of sportsmanship after the announcement of the results among the concerned candidates.
He encouraged Cross Riverians resident in Obudu to turn out en mass to cast their votes while noting that the APC candidate, Mr Ishamali was the best candidate for the position of Honourable Member of the Cross River State House of Assembly.
His words, 'Regardless of the aspirations of the candidates, it is important that we give them a safe and conducive environment for voters to cast their votes, we ensure that we as interest parties in the elections do not unnecessarily create an aggravation which will cause a breach of the peace,
'I would also plead that we give the security operatives, the election authorities a conducive environment to conduct the election in a free and fair manner, that there will be a large turn out of voters especially because this is an election that is important to Cross River and indeed to Nigerians —Obudu is a household name in the hearts and minds of Nigerians especially the Cross River State.
'The election to the State House of Assembly in that local government must not deteriorate to a state where the election will be inconclusive. At the end of the day, brothers will still remain brothers, sister will still remain sisters. We will cross from our homesteads and immediate community into another to fellowship, so we must ensure that we maintain the sanctity of lives and property.
'The APC candidate is the very best in this election. And we hope that the outcome will be met with the spirit of sportsmanship across bipartisan considerations.
'And for the little that I know, there's hardly any family in Obudu that has no relationship —family relationship, marital relationship, and several other levels of relationships even across party lines.
'And because of the economic challenge that we face as Nigerians, it's our expectation that no one will embark on the destruction of property which will cause a lot of misery within the community.'
Recall that Rt. Hon. Stephen Ukpukpen of Obudu State Constituency in the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly slumped dead on May 2018 and was buried July 2018. Accordingly, his office was declared vacant and will be voted into today.
Nyok
Is the Blogger-in-Chief, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven