The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River has thrown its weight behind the candidacy of Brian Odey of the Labour Party for the Yala 1 State Assembly polls.

Alphonsus Eba, the Party Chairman disclosed the party’s decision on Monday in Calabar during an interactive session with the media.

Mr Eba explained that the adoption of the LP candidate followed the Supreme Court judgment nullifying the candidacy of Regina Anyogo, who was hitherto the candidate of the APC.

He said that endorsing Mrs Anyogo was in line with the political calculation and sportsmanship to support the LP in the state.

He further explained that the alliance was to ensure that Labour Party supporters would reciprocate the gesture and vote for Bassey Otu, governorship candidate of the APC in the state on March 11.

“As a party, we are adopting the candidate of the Labour Party, Brian Odey in the Yala 1 State Constituency election.

“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,” he said.

The APC chairman also called on the police to prosecute the more than 16 suspects arrested for allegedly causing violence during the Presidential/National Assembly election in Cross River North.

He urged the police to go further by arresting their sponsors and prosecuting them accordingly.

Mr Eba, however, alleged that the Presidential/National Assembly election held in the state was militarised, especially in Cross River North.

He, therefore, called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to ensure soldiers from 82 Division, Enugu, were not deployed to militarise election in the state again.

Responding, Mr Odey thanked the APC leadership in the state for endorsing him ahead of the polls.

He assured that he would lead his supporters to vote for the APC governorship candidate.

(NAN)