‘Political calculation’ — APC backs LP candidate for Cross River assembly poll

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River has endorsed Brian Odey, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), for the Yala 1 state assembly polls.

Alphonsus Eba, the party chairman, spoke during an interactive session with journalists in Calabar, the state capital, on Monday.

Eba said the endorsement of the LP candidate followed the supreme court’s judgment nullifying the candidacy of Regina Anyogo, who was the APC candidate.

He said the endorsement of Odey is in line with “the political calculation and sportsmanship” to support the LP in the state.

He explained that the alliance is to ensure that LP supporters reciprocate the gesture and vote for Bassey Otu, APC governorship candidate in the state.

“As a party, we are adopting the candidate of the Labour Party, Brian Odey in the Yala 1 state constituency election,” he said.

“We are in this alliance because we want supporters of the Labour Party to also support the candidate of the APC in the governorship election.”

The APC chairman also called on the police to prosecute the suspects arrested for allegedly causing violence during the presidential and national assembly elections in Cross River north.

He asked the police to also arrest their sponsors and prosecute them accordingly.

Eba also alleged that the presidential election held in the state was militarised.

He called on Farouk Yahaya, chief of army staff, to ensure that soldiers from 82 Division, Enugu, are not deployed for election in the state again.