2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election

The 2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Cross River State, concurrent with elections to the Cross River State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly.[2][3] The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections.[4] Incumbent APC Governor Benedict Ayade was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term.

2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election

← 2019 18 March 2023 2027 →
Registered1,766,466
 
Sen otu.jpg
PDP
Nominee Bassey Otu Sandy Ojang Onor
Party APC PDP
Running mate Peter Odey Emana Ambrose-Amawhe
Popular vote 258,619[1] 179,636[1]

LGA results
Otu:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Onor:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

Benedict Ayade
APC

Elected Governor

Bassey Otu
APC

Party primaries were scheduled for between 4 April and 9 June 2022 with the Peoples Democratic Party nominating Senator for Cross River Central Sandy Ojang Onor on 25 May while the All Progressives Congress nominated former Senator for Cross River South Bassey Otu on 26 May.[5][6]

Electoral system

edit

The governor of Cross River State is elected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of state local government areas. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.

Background

edit

Cross River State is a diverse state in the South South with growing economy and vast natural areas but facing an underdeveloped yet vital agricultural sector, deforestation, and rising debt in large part due to years of systemic corruption.

Politically, the state's 2019 elections were categorized as a continuation of the PDP's control as Ayade won with over 73% of the vote and the party won every seat in the House of Assembly along with all three senate seats. However, the PDP did lose one House of Representatives seat to the APC and although the state was easily won by PDP presidential nominee Atiku Abubakar, it still swung towards Buhari compared to 2015 and had lower turnout. In the interim between 2019 and 2023, the state's political landscape drastically changed as Ayade defecting to the APC in May 2021 set in motion a wave of other defections that gave the APC control of the House of Assembly and half of the eight House of Representatives seats by mid-2022.

Ahead of his second term, Ayade stated focuses included the completion of in-progress projects and industrialization;[7] however, he was routinely criticized for authoritarian-esque actions. Alarms were raised after Ayade's defection when he withheld the salaries of state and local officeholders that refused to defect with him and forcibly converted the state PDP secretariat into the new APC headquarters but the allegations of dictatorial actions were at their peak around his ordered arrests and months-long imprisonments of a critic and a journalist.[8][9][10][11][12] At other points during his administration, Ayade was given praise for allocating large parts of the budget to capital expenditures while receiving further criticism for covering up COVID-19 cases, abandoning in-progress projects for new potential white elephants like the Calas Vegas resort project and the new Obudu Airport, creating several new ministries and appointing dozens of aides, getting an unapproved foreign loan in secret without evidence of use for the money, and continuing efforts to build a six-lane superhighway through the ecologically vital Cross River National Park.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] [20][21]

Primary elections

edit

The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, were to take place between 4 April and 3 June 2022 but the deadline was extended to 9 June.[3][22] An informal zoning gentlemen's agreement set the Cross River South Senatorial District to have the next governor as Cross River South has not held the governorship since 2007. Neither major party closed their primaries to non-South candidates, as both the APC and PDP had heated internal debates over zoning to the Southern district.[23][24][25][26] While the APC ended up nominating someone from the South, the PDP chose someone from the Central district.

All Progressives Congress

edit

Arguments over zoning divided the state APC ahead of the primary as Ayade publicly advocated for his successor to come from the South while prospective candidates from other regions like former Senator John Owan Enoh and former minister Usani Uguru Usani argued for the primary to be kept open.[27] In April 2022, state party chairman Alphonsus Eba stated that the primary would be kept open to candidates from all parts of the state, insisting that Ayade's view was simply his personal opinion.[28] However, in early May, Eba announced a party committee to narrow the number of candidates from 17 to four—as two candidates were to be from the South and two candidates were to be from the Central, the party nomination was effectively zoned to the Central and Southern districts.[29][30] Though, this arrangement was also scrapped amid internal turmoil that led the party to choose a single informal "consensus" candidate—former Senator Bassey Otu.[31][32] However, fellow candidates Chris Agara and John Owan Enoh rejected the arrangement and continued their campaigns while Usani left the party to run under the PRP.[33][34][35] The apparent final blow to the "consensus" arrangement was Otu's reported disqualification from contesting the primary as it was reported on 20 May that the APC screening panel barred Otu due to his questionable educational qualifications and a fraud conviction from 1987.[36][37] However, the panel announced that it had not disqualified Otu but preliminarily declared his case "inconclusive" due to the absence of certain credentials.[38] Then the consensus arrangement received another lifeline as Owan Enoh withdrew and endorsed Otu.

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for gubernatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦10 million and nomination form price at ₦40 million with a 50% nomination form discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[39] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 16 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[40] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for between 7 and 9 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 26 May, in concurrence with other APC gubernatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made the next day.[41][42][43][44]

As the consensus arrangement reformed, a number of other candidates dropped out in favor of Oti leading to the primary day, when an indirect primary ended in Otu emerging as the APC nominee after results showed him winning over 84% of the delegates' votes. In his acceptance speech, Otu thanked the party and his former opponents while pledging to continue the work of the Ayade administration.[6] However, controversy emerged afterwards when Owan Enoh surprisingly reversed position and filed an appeal petition against Otu in reference to the dispute over his educational qualifications.[45] Despite the ongoing lawsuit, Otu commenced a general election campaign which was dominated by the search for a running mate in the weeks after the primary, with party members desiring regional balance in the ticket.[46] To achieve this balance, Peter Odey—MHA for Ogoja—was chosen as the deputy gubernatorial nominee on 9 August at an unveiling rally in Ogoja.[47] A Federal High Court ruling dismissed Owan Enoh's lawsuit in late October 2022 with Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu finding that primary candidate qualification screening was the purview of political parties.[48] Initially Owan Enoh appealed the ruling but he announced its withdrawal in December due to personal overtures from APC presidential nominee Bola Tinubu.[49]

Nominated

edit

Eliminated in primary

edit

Withdrew

edit

Declined

edit

Results

edit

Candidates' vote share

  Bassey Otu (84.66%)
  John Owan Enoh (8.77%)
  Chris Agara (6.58%)
APC primary results[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Bassey Otu 811 84.65%
APC John Owan Enoh (withdrawn) 84 8.77%
APC Chris Agara 63 6.58%
Total votes 958 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 1 N/A
Turnout 959 Unknown

People's Democratic Party

edit

Ahead of the primary, rumours that former Governor Donald Duke was attempting to impose Arthur Jarvis Archibong as the party nominee led to protests from other candidates. When Duke held a meeting to find an informal "consensus" Southern candidate in early May 2022, Archibong emerged as the choice leading to further accusations of imposition as other candidates rejected the arrangement.[58][59]

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its gubernatorial primaries' schedule, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 28 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[60] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 25 May, in concurrence with all other PDP gubernatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made in the following days.[61][62]

On the primary date, the election ended with Senator Sandy Ojang Onor emerging as the PDP nominee after results showed him winning by a margin of about 10%.[5][63] Runner-up Gershom Bassey accepted the results and congratulated Onor while noting that Southern candidates got a majority of votes cast. On 4 July, Onor announced Emana Ambrose-Amawhe—a former Channels TV presenter—as his running mate in a speech that pointed out that Ambrose-Amawhe would become Cross River's first women deputy governor in 30 years.[64][65]

Nominated

edit

Eliminated in primary

edit

Withdrew

edit

Declined

edit

Results

edit

Candidates' vote share

  Sandy Ojang Onor (41.33%)
  Gershom Bassey (30.65%)
  Other candidates (2.28%)
PDP primary results[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Sandy Ojang Onor 236 41.33%
PDP Gershom Bassey 175 30.65%
PDP Daniel Effiong Asuquo 147 25.74%
PDP Arthur Jarvis Archibong 6 1.05%
PDP Nkoyo Toyo 4 0.70%
PDP Other candidates 3 0.53%
Total votes 571 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 20 N/A
Turnout 591 Unknown

Minor parties

edit

Campaign

edit

As the general election campaign began in June 2022, pundits focused on the major candidates' attempts to reconcile aggrieved members of their own parties in the wake of the party primaries. While Otu's qualifications were disputed by his intraparty opponents, the catalyst for internal anti-Onor sentiment within the PDP was his disregard for the zoning principle by running.[80] At the commencement of the official campaign period in October, analysts again reiterated the significance of zoning as a campaign issue with the potential that an Onor victory could mean the end of the practice in the state's gubernatorial elections; observers also noted Ayade's support of Otu and Onor's strong oratory skills as further campaign factors.[81] However, the national PDP crisis between the G5 group and the party presidential nominee Atiku Abubakar impacted the Cross River PDP as well, splitting it between G5-aligned and Abubakar-aligned blocs. Onor and the state party chairman led the G5-aligned bloc while the Abubakar-aligned faction was helmed by former Governor Liyel Imoke; by January 2023, observers noted that Onor advertising did not jointly support Abubakar while Abubakar advertising did not mention Onor's gubernatorial candidacy.[82] The next month, focus switched to the presidential election on 25 February. In the election, Cross River State voted for Peter Obi (LP); Obi won the state with 43.2% of the vote, beating Bola Tinubu (APC) at 31.3% and Atiku Abubakar (PDP) at 22.9%. In the wake of the presidential race, pundits focused on regional differences in the gubernatorial election in addition to the rise of minor candidates and Ayade's senatorial loss.[83][84][85]

Projections

edit
Source Projection As of
Africa Elects[a][86] Lean Onor 17 March 2023
Enough is Enough-
SBM Intelligence[b][87]
Onor 2 March 2023

Conduct

edit

Electoral timetable

edit

On 26 February 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable, setting out key dates and deadlines for the election.[88] Months later on 27 May 2022, INEC made a slight revision to the timetable, allowing parties extra time to conduct primaries.[89]

  • 28 February 2022 – Publication of Notice of Election
  • 4 April 2022 – First day for the conduct of party primaries
  • 9 June 2022[c] – Final day for the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them
  • 1 July 2022 – First day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
  • 15 July 2022 – Final day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
  • 12 October 2022 – Commencement of the official campaign period
  • 16 March 2023[d] – Final day of the official campaign period

General election

edit

Results

edit
2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election
Party Candidate Votes %
AA Effiom Effiom Ekeng
ADP Marikana Stanley Ibiang
APP Edet Effiom
ADC Effa Effiong Nyong
APC Bassey Otu
LP Ogar Obu
NRM Patrick Henry Solomon
PDP Sandy Ojang Onor
PRP Usani Uguru Usani
SDP Epet Okokon
YPP Joseph Coco-Bassey
Total votes 100.00%
Turnout

By senatorial district

edit

The results of the election by senatorial district.

Senatorial District Bassey Otu
APC
Sandy Ojang Onor
PDP
Others Total Valid Votes
Votes Percentage Votes Percentage Votes Percentage
Cross River Central Senatorial District[e] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Cross River North Senatorial District[f] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Cross River South Senatorial District[g] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Totals TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD

By federal constituency

edit

The results of the election by federal constituency.

Federal Constituency Bassey Otu
APC
Sandy Ojang Onor
PDP
Others Total Valid Votes
Votes Percentage Votes Percentage Votes Percentage
Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency[h] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency[i] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South Federal Constituency[j] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency[k] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency[l] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra Federal Constituency[m] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency[n] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency[o] TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD
Totals TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD

By local government area

edit

The results of the election by local government area.

LGA Bassey Otu
APC
Sandy Ojang Onor
PDP
Others Total Valid Votes Turnout Percentage
Votes Percentage Votes Percentage Votes Percentage
Abi TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Akamkpa TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Akpabuyo TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Bekwarra TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Biase TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Boki TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Calabar Municipal TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Calabar South TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Etung TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Ikom TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Obanliku TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Obubra TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Obudu TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Odukpani TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Ogoja TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Yakurr TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Yala TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %
Totals TBD % TBD % TBD % TBD %

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ AfricaElects projections predict the likelihood of a candidate winning a state by categorizing a state as "Safe" for exceedingly likely, "Likely" for somewhat likely, and "Lean" for least likely. If no clear determination could be made, states are categorized as "tossups".
  2. ^ EiE-SBM projections predict which candidates will win states.
  3. ^ The original deadline was 3 June; however, INEC pushed it back to 9 June at the behest of parties.[90]
  4. ^ The original deadline was 9 March; however, INEC pushed it back to 16 March.[91]
  5. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Abi, Boki, Etung, Ikom, Obubra, and Yakurr.
  6. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Bekwarra, Biase, Obanliku, Obudu, Ogoja, and Yala.
  7. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Calabar Municipal, Calabar South, and Odukpani.
  8. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Abi and Yakurr.
  9. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Akamkpa and Biase.
  10. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Akpabuyo, Bakassi, and Calabar South.
  11. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Calabar Municipal and Odukpani.
  12. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Boki and Ikom.
  13. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Bekwarra, Obanliku, and Obudu.
  14. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Etung and Obubra.
  15. ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ogoja and Yala.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Imukudo, Saviour (2023-03-20). "APC's Bassey Otu wins Cross River governorship election". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  2. ^ Oyekanmi, Rotimi (26 February 2022). "It's Official: 2023 Presidential, National Assembly Elections to Hold Feb 25". INEC News. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b Jimoh, Abbas (26 February 2022). "INEC Sets New Dates For 2023 General Elections". Daily Trust. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. ^ Suleiman, Qosim. "It's Official: INEC postpones Saturday's governorship, state assembly elections". Premium Times. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "2023: Senator Onor wins Cross River PDP governorship primary". Premium Times. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e Wodu, Ada. "Ex-lawmaker Bassey Otu wins Cross River APC gov ticket". The Punch. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  7. ^ Uchechukwu, Ike. "In this my second tenure I will no longer be the governor… – Ayade". Vanguard. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. ^ Edem, Edem. "Ayade stops salaries of aides, LG chairmen, others who refused to follow him to APC". Daily Post. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  9. ^ Okoro, Judex. "Criticism as Ayade, APC take over PDP secretariat in Calabar". The Sun. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  10. ^ "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, SEPTEMBER, 2019: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 16 March 2022. We note that he is gradually becoming notorious for vehemently rejecting dissent and criticism, a trait that threatens to dim whatever good work he may be doing in the South South state...Ayade should be disturbed, just as we are, that his instigated arrests of Agba Jalingo, now languishing in Calabar Prison for allegedly criticizing the governor and Joseph Odok, an indigene of Cross River State, have been thoroughly condemned as abuse of office.
  11. ^ "Nigerian publisher Agba Jalingo charged with treason". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  12. ^ Ukpong, Cletus. "Police arrest another critic of Gov. Ayade, accuse him of 'terrorism'". Premium Times. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  13. ^ "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, NOVEMBER, 2019: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 16 March 2022. We share the belief that the budget holds the promise of rapid infrastructure development and renewal in the state, only if it is faithfully implemented. Ayade's bold move is better appreciated against the fact that even the Federal Government could merely manage just about 25 percent of the federal budget on capital expenditure.
  14. ^ "Cross River Doctors Accuse Governor Ayade Of Covering COVID-19 Cases, Declare Indefinite Strike". Sahara Reporters. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  15. ^ Ogar, Cyril. "N42bn Ayade's Spaghetti Flyover Turns 'Fish Pond'". Al Jazirah News. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  16. ^ "Top 5, Bottom 5: RipplesNigeria ranking of Nigerian governors for August, 2020". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 16 March 2022. Ayade of Cross River State is one state governor known for his ostentatious dreams and fabulous aspirations and grandiose utterances...We note, with concern, that Calas Vegas, whose cost and completion date has not been stated or made known, may again become a white elephant project that will never see the light of the day
  17. ^ Wodu, Ada. "Amid dwindling revenue, Ayade's proposed Obudu airport stirs controversy, opposition mounts". The Punch. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  18. ^ "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, DECEMBER 2019: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 16 March 2022. We also note with worry, the creation of new curious ministries by Governor Ayade, driving the number of ministries in the state to an unwieldy 39. We contend that the creation of the ministries...are unnecessary and an obvious duplication that will most definitely eat further into the finances of the state.
  19. ^ "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, JANUARY, 2020: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 16 March 2022. His inexplicable appointment of 90 aides at a time of economic hemorrhage is confounding. This is coming after the governor appointed 39 commissioners and created new ministries that were obviously duplications of others in functions, thereby exerting undue pressure on the lean resources of the state.
  20. ^ Simon, Ekemini. "Investigation into Cross River State Debt Misery: How N1.4bn illegal Foreign Loan cannot be accounted for". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  21. ^ Adeyemi, Taiwo. "Counting the Costs of Cross River State 'Super Highway' Road Project for the Tropical Rainforests and Eco-biodiversity". Rainforest Journalism Fund. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  22. ^ James, Dominic. "Primaries: INEC Grants Parties Six Extra Days, Timetable Remains Unchanged". INEC News. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  23. ^ a b c Babatunde, Jimoh. "2023: Cross River politics heat up as PDP's national leadership endorses Sandy/Gershom ticket". Vanguard. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  24. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "2023: Zoning under threat as stakeholders kick in Cross River". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  25. ^ Gill, Nsa. "2023 guber: The raging debate over zoning in Cross River". The Nation. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  26. ^ Okoro, Judex (22 March 2022). "2023: Endless echoes of zoning dominate Cross River guber race". The Sun. Calabar. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  27. ^ Uchechukwu, Ike. "2023: Cross River APC stakeholders pick hole with Ayade's Zoning formula". Vanguard. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  28. ^ Asare, Asare. "APC counters Gov Ayade, insists they've not zoned gov'ship to Cross River south". Daily Post. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  29. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "Ndoma-Egba heads committee to prune Cross River APC guber aspirants". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  30. ^ a b c d e f Wodu, Ada. "2023: 17 APC aspirants jostle for Ayade's job". The Punch. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  31. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "Tension builds in Cross River APC over consensus arrangement". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  32. ^ Todo, Tina Agosi. "Cross River APC picks consensus candidate". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  33. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "APC consensus arrangements in Cross River collapses". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  34. ^ Wodu, Ada. "Ex-minister dumps APC for PRP in Cross River". The Punch. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  35. ^ Asare, Asare. "Why I left APC – Usani". Daily Post. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  36. ^ Akintade, Adefemola. "APC disqualifies ex-convict Sen. Bassey Otu over 1987 conviction". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  37. ^ Olabimtan, Bolanle. "'Questionable credentials': APC panel disqualifies Otu, Ayade's anointed guber candidate". TheCable. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  38. ^ "Guber 2023: APC Screening Committee Clears Owan Eno And Chris Agara, Says Bassey Otu Clearance Is Inconclusive". Cross River Watch. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  39. ^ Odunsi, Wale. "2023: APC extends sale of forms, fixes dates to elect delegates". Daily Post. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  40. ^ Nseyen, Nsikak. "2023: APC fixes new date for governorship primaries, others". Daily Post. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  41. ^ Majeed, Bakare (20 April 2022). "UPDATED: 2023: APC fixes presidential forms for N100 million, adopts indirect primaries". Premium Times. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  42. ^ Angbulu, Stephen; Ayeni, Victor; Dada, Peter; Naku, Dennis; Ede, Raphael (21 April 2022). "Presidential primary: APC silent on zoning, Nigerians condemn N100m nomination fee". The Punch. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  43. ^ APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (May 11, 2022). "NEW DATES" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  44. ^ APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (May 18, 2022). "ADJUSTED TIMETABLE" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  45. ^ Asare, Asare. "Confusion overwhelms C'River APC over parallel results, petition against guber candidate". Daily Post. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  46. ^ Asare, Asare. "Friction in Cross River APC over consensus on running mate". Daily Post. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  47. ^ a b Odunsi, Wale. "APC's Bassey Otu unveils Cross River Assembly leader, Peter Odey as deputy". Daily Post. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  48. ^ Sunday, Ochogwu. "Court declares Otu APC guber candidate in Cross River". Daily Post. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  49. ^ "Cross River Senator withdraws court case against APC". The Guardian. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  50. ^ Edeme, Victoria (19 April 2022). "2023: Cross River businessman declares for governorship". The Punch. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  51. ^ "2023: Jonathan's son-in-law joins Cross River governorship race under APC". The Punch. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  52. ^ Gill, Nsa. "2023: Owan-Enoh joins Cross River governorship race". The Nation. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  53. ^ Monday, Ogar. "Owan Enoh Withdraws From Governorship Race, Throws Weight Behind Prince Otu". Cross River Watch. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  54. ^ a b c Bassey, Awassam. "Ayade's defection, PDP's wisemen and 2023 guber polls". Premium Times. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  55. ^ a b c Akpan, Anietie. "How Ayade's defection dismantled, disorganised permutations for 2023". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  56. ^ a b c Gill, Nsa (9 April 2022). "2023 Guber: Options before Cross River voters". The Nation. Calabar. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  57. ^ Una, Emma. "War in Cross River APC over registration of new members". Vanguard. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  58. ^ Onwuzurumba, Adaora. "Cross River 2023: Crisis rocks PDP over governorship candidate". Today.ng. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  59. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "Why PDP may lose Cross River to APC, by stakeholders". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  60. ^ Angbulu, Stephen (21 April 2022). "2023: PDP extends sale of forms for fourth time". The Punch. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  61. ^ Official PDP Nigeria [@OfficialPDPNig] (May 5, 2022). "2023 General Elections: @OfficialPDPNig updated Time Table and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general elections. See below" (Tweet). Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  62. ^ Ukaibe, Chibuzo. "2023: PDP Fixes New Date For Gov'ship Primaries". Leadership. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  63. ^ Wodu, Ada. "Senator wins PDP gov ticket in Cross River". The Punch. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  64. ^ a b Wodu, Ada. "Cross River PDP announces female deputy gov candidate". The Punch. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  65. ^ Uchechukwu, Ike. "C'River PDP governorship candidate unveils ex-Channels TV broadcaster as running mate". Vanguard. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  66. ^ "2023: Wike can't impose governorship candidate on us in Cross River—Group". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  67. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "How Ayade's defection may reshape political space of Cross River". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  68. ^ a b c d Okoro, Judex. "2023: 3 PDP NASS members, educationist join Cross River guber race". The Sun. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  69. ^ Wodu, Ada. "Varsity proprietor declares interest in Cross River 2023 governorship". The Punch. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  70. ^ Taiwo-Obalonye, Juliana. "Cross River: How PDP'll wrest power from Ayade in 2023 –Senator Gershom Bassey". The Sun. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  71. ^ Asare, Asare. "2023: Senator Bassey declares for Cross River governorship, insists on rotation". Daily Post. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  72. ^ Wodu, Ada. "Scottish-born engineer declares for Cross River gov race". The Punch. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  73. ^ Uchechukwu, Ike. "2023: C'River has been stagnant since Imoke left office ..Ekpo-Ene". Vanguard. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  74. ^ Ndoma--Neji, Nsan (21 April 2022). "2023: Second Female PDP Aspirant Imah Nsa Adegoke, Joins C/River Guber Race". Kakaaki Reporters. Calabar. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  75. ^ Asare, Asare. "2023: PDP female governorship aspirant joins race Cross River". Daily Post. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  76. ^ "2023: PDP Governorship Aspirant Demands Refund Of Nomination Fee". Daily Trust. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  77. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "FINAL LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR STATE ELECTIONS - Governorship & Houses of Assembly" (PDF). Independent National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  78. ^ Okoro, Judex. "Usani, Coco-Bassey clinch PRP, YPP governorship seats in Cross River". The Sun. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  79. ^ "AMENDMENT 4 GOVERNORSHIP" (PDF). Independent National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  80. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "Matters arising from PDP, APC primaries in Cross River". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  81. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "Zoning still critical in Cross River governorship race". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  82. ^ Akpan, Anietie. "How Atiku/Wike face-off divide PDP candidates in Cross River". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  83. ^ Asare, Asare. "Guber poll: Tension in Cross River North, Central". Daily Post. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  84. ^ Asare, Asare. "YPP, LP, others move to rattle APC, PDP in Cross River". Daily Post. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  85. ^ Opejobi, Seun. "Governorship election: Ruling parties struggle in Lagos, Cross River, Abia, others". Daily Post. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  86. ^ Elimian, Adrian. "Nigerian Gubernatorial Elections: State Ratings". Africa Elects. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  87. ^ "The EiE-SBM 2023 Election forecast: Diminished interest in state elections will make for poor outcomes". SBM Intelligence. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  88. ^ Jimoh, Abbas (26 February 2022). "INEC Sets New Dates For 2023 General Elections". Daily Trust. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  89. ^ "Schedule of Activities for 2023 General Election". ThisDay. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  90. ^ James, Dominic. "Primaries: INEC Grants Parties Six Extra Days, Timetable Remains Unchanged". INEC News. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  91. ^ Suleiman, Qosim. "It's Official: INEC postpones Saturday's governorship, state assembly elections". Premium Times. Retrieved 15 March 2023.