SENATOR Liyel Imoke has emerged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer for the upcoming April 2012 governorship election in Cross River State.
Announcing the result of the State Primaries of the party which was held at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar, the Chairman of the PDP Electoral Panel, Senator Ahmed Sana, said of the 747 accredited votes, Senator Liyel Imoke pulled 737 votes, Ambassador Soni Abang got three votes while seven votes were voided.
Sana stressed that “nobody will point a finger and say mago-mago was done because it was witnessed by the numbers six and seven citizens of the nation,” adding that by the outcome of the exercise, Imoke was declared the winner of the primaries as well as the party’s flag bearer of for April governorship election in the state.
Speaking in a post election speech, Imoke said he did not see his victory as a governor but an aspirant turned a candidate which has been chosen by the delegates through a peaceful and transparent process by the will of God, adding that the choice is in acknowledgement of service rendered to the people across the state.
Imoke noted that the exercise did not record any incident and that Cross River has set the pace for other states to emulate, stressing that the victory is not personal but that of the people which he said is a big family and does not belong to one person because the people are the owners of the party while he stands as the person that will serve the people and therefore sees it as a victory which all will share.
He promised to do more and take the state to greater heights as a distinct and unique place in Nigeria, by taking true development to every nook and cranny of the state, stating that the outcome of the primaries “is just part one of the exercise while appreciating the people for their civility, comportment, support, assurance and cooperation.
The primaries, was supervised by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) while the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha acted as an observer.
Ihedioha, in an interview, described the exercise as free and fair, devoid of any violence and commended the State PDP for its maturity and high sense of direction.
The State Chairman of PDP, Ntufan Ekpo in an opening remarks had commended members of the party for the orderly way which they conducted the congress which led to the primaries and attributed it to the leadership of the party, adding that the people came together because they believe in aspiration and when they speak, they do that through a collective will by electing their candidate through a clean and clear process.