The Senator representing Cross River North District, Stephen Odey, has been sent packing from the National Assembly by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Calabar.
It has declared Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the duly elected Senator for the seat, putting the alleged desire of Governor Ben Ayade to return to the Senate in jeopardy.
Odey is believed to be a political ally of Ayade; who fully backed the former chairman of Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), for the seat with the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) recognising him as winner of the party’s ticket.
Unfortunately, Ayade himself has crossed carpet to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The three-man panel of the court headed by Hon. Justice Chioma I. Nwosu invalidated the certificate of return earlier issued to Odey by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and directed that it be withdrawn.
In the opinion of the appeal justices, Jarigbe was the lawful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the December 5th, 2020, bye-election for the seat, and not Odey.