Governor Ben Ayade has lost his bid to return to the Senate following his defeat by the incumbent senator representing Cross River North, Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe.

Ayade, who was in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, lost the National Assembly elections conducted on Saturday with 56,595 votes against Agom-Jarigbe’s of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 76,145 votes.

Returning officer, Emmanuel Emanghe, who spoke on behalf of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the result for the polls around 3:05 a.m. on Monday.

Agom-Jarigbe, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, was elected into the Senate through a bye-election in September 2021 following the death of Rose Okoh.

Ayade, who is serving out his two-term as governor of the state, sought to replace Agom-Jarigbe as the Senator representing Northern senatorial district of Cross River.

However, the re-elected senator could not be issued the declaration form after his declaration by the retuning officer.

Upon demand for the declaration form, Agom-Jarigbe was told that it was mistakenly taken to Obudu by the electoral body in the state.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Gabriel Yomere, a professor, who spoke by telephone said, “the form was mistakingly taken to Obudu but he can be issued with a temporary one pending when the original one will be brought.”

Meanwhile, Godwin Offiono of the PDP, was returned elected for the Ogoji/Yala Federal Constituency election.

Offiono, defeated the incumbent lawmaker representing the area, Jude Ngaji of the All Progressives Congress, by 36,651 votes to 32,973 votes.

Ogoja/Yala Federal constituency result was announced by Wakasor Ofem.

NAN