Judex Okoro, Calabar
About 15 aspirants have declared interest to contest the by-election for the Cross River State Northern Senatorial seat.
The seat became vacant following the death of Rose Oko in a London hospital during a protracted illness.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Independent National Electoral Commission cancelled all election matters just as the political parties suspended their state congresses across the country.
Daily Sun checks revealed that in spite of the lockdown, politicians in Cross River have intensified campaigns and manoeuvring discreetly in readiness to pending parties’ primaries.
Checks further revealed that political heavy weights have started planning how to clinch the senatorial ticket in the various parties.
Speaking on the development in Calabar, yesterday, a pro-democracy group, the Northern Coalition for Good Governance (NCFGG), insisted that the vacant seat should be zoned to Yala Local Government Area where the late senator comes from for equity and justice.
NCFGG Coordinator, Agba Agba, said it behoves on the political parties to zero their choice of candidates to Yala as it is normal for the people to conclude their tenure, adding that beside Jeddy Agba, and Zana Agbagu, other aspirants are from Yala council, an indication that they (Yala) have qualified politicians to step into the shoes of their late sister.
He said: “We are appealing to all parties to do the needful by picking aspirants from Yala to complete the remaining three years before it goes to another local government.”