- One killed in Ogoja, four buses burnt in Odukpani
Bassey Inyang in Calabar
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Prince Bassey Otu, has given high marks to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state.
Speaking with journalists in his country home in Adiabo Okurikan, Odukpani Local Government Area, Otu said from feelers reaching him from the field, the elections were generally peaceful, and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine were largely functional.
Out, who voted in Efut Ward in the area, said: *Yes, I have full confidence in the BVAS. If you want to look at the election INEC have been conducting over the years, right from 1999 till date, even at bye-election, you’ll see that somehow they live up their game.
“People must not forget where we are coming from, and the type of greed that has been injected into politics. The fact that our economy is very bad and people are looking at election probably as the only way out, as a result of that, it becomes a total war and at times INEC is at the receiving end.
“INEC must also be given the benefit of doubt to continue to make sure that they perfect all their arrangements. There were issues with the BVAS but I don’t think that those issues should be key issues in giving judgement that BVAS is not working. I want to believe that INEC will continue to scale up with technology and everything to ensure that BVAS will deliver to the benefit of Nigerians.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of challenge with the BVAS, I went there was no delay. I was captured and the tick came out and I voted so I believe that moving forward they’ll continue to make sure that things are added that will make it completely fine.”
The election in the state was generally peaceful except for few incidences of violence that occurred hours before the commencement of voting.
In Ikoneto, Odukpani Local Government Area, four buses in the convoy of a top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were burnt beyond recognition and an SUV vehicle vandalised by people suspected to be youths of the community.
Also in Ogoja, a member of the APC, whose name was given as Joe, was allegedly shot and killed by a soldier when he allegedly attempted to tamper with the electioneering.
The police authorities in the state confirmed that they got a report that one person was shot dead by the police in Ogoja.
