Why APC disqualified Ayade’s consensus guber aspirant in Cross River

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Cross River State, Senator Bassey Out, has been disqualified from the 2023 governorship race in the state.

The party’s screening had earlier disqualified the aspirant from the governorship race over alleged certificate forgery and other criminal acts.

Otu is the anointed candidate of Governor Ben Ayade in the 2023 governorship election in the state.

The party’s Appeal Committee upheld the aspirant’s disqualification at its sitting on Friday.

Otu’s travails began when a group sent a petition to the APC leadership in Cross River State and demanded his disqualification from the governorship race over alleged fraudulent acts and certificate forgery.

The petitioners said Otu was an ex-convict as he had been sentenced to prison in the past for allegedly defrauding his former employer, the Mercantile Bank of Nigeria Plc in 1987.

The petition read:

“We are Solicitors to Concerned All Progressive Congress (APC) Members from Cross River State and on whose instructions we petition you.

“Our clients briefed us thus:

“That they are concerned Members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Cross River State. Our clients reliably gathered that Senator Bassey Edet Otu has obtained the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination and expression of interest forms to vie for the position of Governor of Cross River State in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

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“The said Senator Bassey Edet Otu is alleged to have been convicted for defrauding his former employer Mercantile Bank of Nigeria Plc in charge NO. HC/1010C/1987.

“This is in breach of the provisions of section 182 (e) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which prohibits persons like Senator Bassey Edet Otu from being elected as governors. Our clients shall furnish you with certified true copies of the said judgment.

“Our clients have also uncovered plans by his erstwhile party (Peoples Democratic Party), the major opposition party in the state.