Cross River PDP Battles For Common Ground As Rival Senatorial Aspirants Lay Claim To Ticket

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State is currently growing goose pimples as rival senatorial candidates are fighting dirty for the approval of the party.

At the moment, PDP is said to be battling to hammer out a settlement deal as confusion continues to trail its senatorial primaries as two aspirants declared themselves winners of the recruitment exercise for the National Assembly.

Party insiders in Calabar, the state capital, told Naija News on telephone this Tuesday that Bassey Ewa, a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly and a former member of the House of Representatives, representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency, polled 102 votes to defeat his opponent.

His opponent was the former Secretary of PDP, Goddy Etta, who polled 94 votes. But, Solomon Esor is claiming that he polled 146 votes to defeat the other aspirants.

Other results made available from the parallel primaries conducted by the Esor faction showed that Bassey Ewa had 21 votes, Godwin Ettah 13 votes, Thomas Ofem 8 votes and Wilfred Okpo 4 had 6 invalid votes.

Both primaries were all conducted at a hotel in Ikom, Ikom Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking, Esor said he is the authentic candidate of PDP as the results declaring Bassey Ewa did not follow due processes and should be jettisoned.

Another contestant, Dr Goddy Etta, is claiming that the declaration of Bassey Ewah was faulty as his agents had told him the processes were marred by lots of irregularities.

Goddy said the results sheets brought for the election did not carry the watermarks and other security codes like the ones used in other constituencies.

He said he is studying the situation and would take up the matter with the party.

Reacting, Bassey Ewa said “the Senatorial election for the central was conducted by the woman leader, Mrs Florence Inyang, and two others and it was a free and fair election.

“There is an appeal panel sitting in Calabar. So any aspirants dissatisfied can approach the appeal. For now I have not been invited by the appeal panel.”