Ayade: It Is Finished • Rejected by C’River North Voters, Tribunal, Appeal Court • It’s Sweet Victory-Jarigbe

Hopes that the immediate past governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, would return to the senate have finally been dashed. After suffering defeat at the polling units in his Cross River North senatorial district, and another defeat at the election tribunal, the cycle became complete on Saturday at the court of appeal.

Ayade, governor for eight years, was known to have failed in all departments. His critics believe that he failed to win his senate election in February this year because of how badly he had performed both as senator and as governor.

They preferred Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, a former House of Representatives member who was able to tackle and take the seat from him.

Ayade’s woes became worse when the court of appeal, in dismissing the case he took there against Jarigbe’s electoral victory, awarded half a million cost against him for wasting the time of the court.

In a telephone interview on Saturday, Jarigbe expressed gratitude to God and the people of his senatorial district for the journey so far and noted that even though Ayade had stressed his life and finances, he was glad at what he called sweet victory.

He said he would continue to serve his people with all his might.