Senator Eteng Williams has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Cross River Central District, insisting that no valid election took place.
Williams made his position known on Tuesday during a press briefing in Calabar, where he described the purported result as baseless and lacking legitimacy.
He maintained that there was no voting across the 66 wards that make up the senatorial district, alleging that the exercise was not conducted in accordance with party guidelines.
According to him, the absence of electoral officials and party agents rendered the entire process invalid.
“No voting took place in the 66 wards of the senatorial district, we went round the entire district.
“There were also no party officials to conduct the election, we kept waiting to exercise our franchise until about 8:00pm.
“So I ask, if officials were not there, and elections did not hold, how did they get results?” he asked.
The senator called on the national leadership of the APC to urgently review the conduct of the primary, urging it to uphold internal democracy and fairness within the party.
He further urged party members to disregard any declaration of a winner from the disputed exercise.
Williams described the situation as an example of desperation among political actors attempting to secure positions through irregular means.
“What we see today is desperation. People want to become leaders through the backdoor,” he said.
He also alleged that no formal communication was made to him regarding the appointment of agents for the exercise, further questioning its credibility.
Williams called on the party to take corrective measures to preserve its integrity and ensure credible internal electoral processes in the future.
