The bid of the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, for a fourth term in the Senate hit the rocks on Saturday in Ikom, Cross River Central Senatorial District.
Ndoma-Egba was defeated by Hon. John Owan-Enoh at the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party for the constituency.
Owan-Enoh (PDP Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency) defeated Ndoma-Egba by 217 votes to 37, while the third aspirant, Mark Egbe, scored 20 votes.
The Returning Officer, Uko Enaku, said that 376 accredited delegates voted in the primaries, while two votes were declared invalid in the election, which he described as “transparent and free”.
Enaku said that delegates to the election were drawn from the six local government areas of Abi, Boki, Ikom, Yakurr, Obubra and Etung that make up the district.
In his reaction, Owan-Enoh thanked the delegates and the people of the central district for their trust in him.
He said: “On this day, the people of Cross River Central have made a statement.
“They have voted for change.
“I promise that I will give them good representation.”
The election was held under tight security with men of the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps manning strategic positions to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
