Cross River North: INEC withdraws certificate of return from Odey, presents to Jarigbe

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Controversy that followed the result of the December 5 bye – election in Cross River North senatorial district took another dimension on Monday as the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued a fresh Certificate of Return to Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the winner and duly elected candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Recalled that the Commission had earlier issued certificate of return to Dr.Stephen Odey who was eventually sworn in into the chamber of the Senate last week.

The recent step of INEC followed the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja last Thursday which declared Hon. Jarigbe as the candidate of the PDP.

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The Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of an FCT High Court which had earlier declared Hon Jarigbe as duly elected PDP candidate for the Cross River north Senatorial seat .

The certificate of return was handed over to Jarigbe by the National Commissioner, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Festus Okoye who said the withdrawal of the certificate of return earlier issued to Odey was in compliance to the court judgment.

By the issuance of the fresh Certificate of Return to Hon. Jarigbe, the one earlier issued to Dr. Stephen Odey is deemed cancelled and withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the Senate has inaugurated Hon. Jarigbe as Senator-elect when the Senate resumed plenary after the Christmas recess on January 26, 2021.