By Thelma Eneji
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has suffered defeat in his bid to return to the Senate after completing his tenure as governor.
Ayade who is rounding up his second term as governor was in the Senate from 2011 to 2015 and had hoped to return to the role as Senator representing cross River North.
He was, however, defeated by the incumbent, Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe.
Agom-Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party got 76,145 votes, while Ayade polled 56,595.
“By the powers conferred on me as the Returning Officer of the Northern Senatorial District, I hereby announce Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party elected for the Northern Senatorial District,” the returning officer, Dr Emmanuel Emanghe, said.
Governor Ayade had risen to power as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. He was elected to the Senate in 2011 as a candidate of the party in 2011 and as Governor in 2015. He was also re-elected governor as a PDP member.
The governor, however, defected to the All Progressives Congress in 2021. Agom-Jarigbe, however, chose to remain in the PDP.
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