APC Sweeps Cross River Local Elections, Wins All 18 Chairmanship, Councillorship Seats
In a decisive victory, the All Progressives Congress, APC has swept all the 18 Chairmanship and Councillorship positions in Cross River State’s Saturday local government elections.
Dr. Ekong Edet Bocco, Chairman of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), announced on Sunday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has won across all local government areas in the recent local elections. Speaking from CROSIEC headquarters in Calabar, Dr. Bocco congratulated the winning candidates and urged them to fulfill their responsibilities with dedication to community service, he also advised the victorious chairmen to serve their people diligently.
“I want to pray with you,” he addressed the winners, “carry your brothers and your sisters in your local government along.
We are of the same state; therefore, we congratulate all of you, the winners, and we anticipate that in return you serve your people diligently and well.”
Among the newly elected leaders is Hon. Terisa Akwaji Ushie, who made history as the first female chairman of Bekwarra Local Government Area. She proudly addressed her constituents, saying, “You can see the glory all over me, the light all over me. I am very, very happy and excited. I am excited because I am the first female chairman in Bekwarra local government by the grace of God. Bekwarra is a place of peace, and I am going to unite everybody together. Bekwarra people are happy to have their first female chairman in the person of Hon. Terisa Akwaji Ushie.”
In a further display of party support, the Chief of Staff to the Cross River State Governor, Hon. Emmanuel Ironbar, expressed his delight over the APC’s sweeping victory. “First of all, we give thanks to God Almighty. We are happy as a people and as a state; hope is being restored to the third tier of government,” Ironbar remarked. Advising the incoming chairmen, he added, “I just want to advise them not to view the autonomy of the local government as an opportunity to work for themselves, but they should have the mindset of coming to serve the people. It is a call to service. Only with this mindset will they diligently deliver positive results, and people will see the benefits in their local governments.”
Obanliku Local Government’s new chairman, Chief Hon. Dr. Sunny Ayang, expressed his gratitude to God and the APC for their support.
He dedicated his victory to his constituents and promised substantial improvements for the entire Obanliku. “First, let me thank God who made my emergence possible. I want to say that I dedicate my victory to God Almighty. Secondly, let me acknowledge the APC as the party that provided me with the platform, having considered so many of us who aspired,” Ayang said.
“My emergence as the chairman of Obanliku is an indication of a new dawn. Obanliku has been stagnated for a very long time, lacking development. This new dawn will bring the first lift in Obanliku in terms of infrastructure and other economic sectors. Tremendous development is on the way.”
Ayang also promised an inclusive government, saying, “To my colleagues who aspired with me, I assure them that they have not lost out; it is a win-win victory. I assure them that the administration I will lead will be a government of inclusivity.”
In Yala Local Government Area, Hon. Dr. Fred Okem, the new chairman-elect, outlined his ambitious plans for his tenure. “I want to thank the president of this country, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I have a lot of objectives to implement: infrastructure, and the health system—I am a health expert. I intend to embark on rural roads, increase healthcare services, and improve education, especially primary education. I have several strategies ready to go into action as my tenure begins,” Okem affirmed.
Reflecting on the entire election process, Barr. Alphonsus Eba, the state chairman of APC, praised the electoral exercise’s integrity and transparency.
“The process leading to and culminating in today’s victory is one I can stand by with pride. Having been around for almost three decades, I can say this is the freest, fairest process towards electing our candidates in almost thirty years of our political existence,” Eba said.
“We entered the election united and strong, and that unity has been reflected in today’s results. We are delighted. It tells us that APC is a united family in Cross River State. It tells us that the governor is doing well. It tells us that the people are with us.”
Eba also took the opportunity to contrast APC’s performance with that of the opposition, declaring that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had long been “bottomed out” in Cross River politics.
“We were only waiting for the appointed time to have a proper farewell for the PDP, and there was no better time than yesterday when Cross Riverians across party lines went to the field,” said Barr. Eba.
This landslide win solidifies the APC’s hold in Cross River State as the party prepares to embark on the next phase of governance, focusing on development, inclusion, and improved public services.
The chairmen-elect have pledged to uphold the mandate and deliver meaningful changes within their communities.
