Cross River: Supreme Court declares Daniel Asuquo, LP Candidate

By Sixtus Uket (Calabar)

The Supreme Court has declared the member representing Akamkpa/ Biase Federal Constituency in Cross River, Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo as the Labour Party (LP), Cross River State Southern Senatorial District Candidate.

The Supreme Court made the declaration in a judgement delivered Tuesday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Speaking with Global Patriot Newspapers in Calabar, the Cross River state capital on the Supreme Court judgement, the State Publicly Secretary of Labour Party (LP), Dr. L. U. Ofem, said the judgement has brought to rest the controversy about the candidacy of the Labour Party (LP) Senatorial Candidate.

“The ultimate Political Warrior, Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo (Dansuki), has floored APC/Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr in the Supreme Court this morning, and came out victorious as the undisputable Labour Party Candidate of the Cross River State Southern Senatorial District,” Dr. Ofem said.

He further stressed that, “it is sealed and stamped this-day.”

The LP State Publicity Secretary also congratulated the party’s Senatorial Candidate, the Labour Party (LP), and all supporters of justice, equity and fairness for the victory.

GPNews gathered that the Cross River State Southern Senatorial District Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr, had approached the Federal High Court in Calabar seeking the nullification of the nomination of the Labour Party’s Candidate on grounds of not being a registered member of the Labour Party as at the time of his emergence as the party’s Senatorial Candidate.

As canvassed by the Plaintiff, the Federal High Court in its ruling disqualified Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo from contesting for the Labour Party Southern Senatorial District position in the forthcoming general elections.

But the Labour Party (LP) in the State not being satisfied with the judgement, rejected the Federal High Court’s judgment sacking Rt. Hon Daniel Asuquo as its Cross River South Senatorial candidate.

The court had sacked Asuquo on grounds that his name was not in the register of LP as he was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when the list was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Consequently, the Labour Party (LP) and the candidate had to take the matter to the Appeal Court. The state Chairman of LP and its governorship candidate, Ogar Osim, had said: “LP has come to lead this country and make reforms, especially on the judiciary. The court has said it’s the prerogative of a party to produce a candidate and another court is saying otherwise, giving conflicting judgment.

“Asuquo is the LP Cross River South Senatorial District candidate. The judgment does not hold water and soon that will be corrected. We know this was done because of people who are afraid of him and the vote he will attract for Obi,” Osim stated.

The Appeal Court later upturned the judgement of the lower court and declared Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo the LP Candidate for the Cross River State Southern Senatorial District.

However, the APC opponent, Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr, had to further take the matter to the Supreme Court having not been satisfied with the decision of the Appeal Court.