The court of Appeal sitting in Calabar has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Mr Stephen Odey after he has been sacked from being the Senator representing Cross River North.

The court declared Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe the lawful candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the December 5, 2020, by-election for the seat of the Senator representing Cross River North.

The court upheld the decision of the Abuja High Court which declared Mr Agom as the validly nominated candidate of the PDP for the said election.

The seat of the Cross River North senatorial district became vacant in March 2020 after the death of Rose Oko.

The duo of Steven Odey and Agom-Jarigbe had been at loggerheads on who is the rightful candidate to occupy the seat of the deceased senator.

Justice Chioma Iheme Nwosu of the Appeal Court, in her judgment, said Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe was nominated as the candidate of the party based on the ruling of the Abuja High Court which judgement was upheld by the Supreme Court.

“The Certificate of Return given to Dr Stephen Odey should be withdrawn and handed over to the Appellant, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe,” the judge held.

Odey and Agom belong to the same political party – The people’s Democratic Party (PDP) but they have both claimed to be the elected senators representing Cross River North District.

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