JUST IN: Governor Ayade loses Senate primary after sex video scandal

Results of the primary show Mr Ayade polled 52 votes to crash out against Adams Cecelia, who scored 140. Another aspirant Martin Orim scored 61 votes.

Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has lost his bid to proceed to the Senate when he concludes his two-term next year.

The governor joined the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2021 and took part in the ruling party’s Senate primary in Calabar.

Results of the primary show Mr Ayade polled 52 votes to crash out against Adams Cecelia, who scored 140. Another aspirant Martin Orim scored 61 votes.

The development comes barely a few days after videos of Mr Ayade in a room with a person reported to be his mistress. He did not comment on the scandal, and it was not immediately clear whether it affected his chances with delegates.

Mr Ayade, an academic, was elected twice as governor while a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, which he abandoned in May last year.