The House of Representatives candidate for Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Mr. Bassey Akiba, claims that the All Progressive Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River were taken aback by his victory.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Calabar, Akiba, a former member of the Cross River House of Assembly, made this disclosure.
According to NAN, Akiba, the sole Labour Party candidate who won the Cross River seat for the National Assembly, was thrilled to hear about his victory at the polls.
He stated to NAN that he won his election free and fair, with no monetary incentives for voters.
According to NAN, Akiba won the House of Representatives election on February 25 with 23,759 votes, defeating Mr. Edim Inok, the APC candidate, who received 21,066 votes, and Rep. Etta Mbora, the PDP candidate, who received 19,584 votes.
“I contested the election with a PDP incumbent member of the House of Representatives and the APC candidate, who also happens to be a former state party chairman.
They failed to recognize that the dynamics have altered and that the populace is now more enlightened and aware of the country’s events.
My opponents were taken aback by my victory because they had never believed it. The power is now held by the people; They shifted and brought about that change.
“The days when people believed that if you were the government candidate, you would win by default are long gone. They demonstrated that through the ballot that I was the popular candidate,” he stated.
During his campaign, he promised to keep all of his promises to constituents in the constituency.
He assured his backers that he would not betray their faith in him and urged them to keep believing in the forthcoming new administration.
“I told my people that I should be voted out if I don’t do well;” I ought to be encouraged to go further if I succeed.
Voting out ineffective leaders and encouraging those who are performing well is the only way to expand our democracy.
I’m not going to the House of Representatives as an outsider; As a legislator in the state assembly, I have extensive legislative experience.
“Because there are a lot of expectations from my people who gave me this mandate, I will begin work as soon as we are inaugurated.
I didn’t spend money on the voters like other people did; He stated, “I promised the people what I would do for them if elected, and they saw my genuine commitment to my promises and overwhelmingly voted me in.” NAN)
