The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Cross River, Bassey Otu as the winner of the March 18 poll in the South-South geopolitical zone.

Otu, a former federal lawmaker, scored 258,619 votes to defeat his closest contender and a serving senator, Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 179,636.

Otu was declared the winner by INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof Teddy Charles of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

The APC candidate won in 15 local government areas of 18 LGAs declared by the Commission in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

With his declaration as governor-elect by the electoral umpire, Otu will succeed the incumbent governor and APC party man, Ben Ayade whose eight-year two-term will end on May 29, 2023.

So far, the results of 18 governorship polls have been announced. The APC takes the lead with 12 states, PDP with five states and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one state.