The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Siminaliayi Fubara, has been declared the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Fabura the winner of the poll on Monday night, March 20, 2023. The PDP’s flagbearer won in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
The INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, said the PDP candidate polled 302,614 votes to defeat his closet rival Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress who scored 95,274 votes.
The Social Democratic Party candidate, Senator Magnus Abe, and Labour Party’s Beatrice Itubo came a distant third and fourth with 46,981 and 22,224 votes respectively.
Rim-Rukeh said a total of 496,852 were accredited for the March 18 governorship election out of the 3,537,190 registered voters in the state.
He explained that of the 494,604 total votes cast, 483,934 were valid while 10, 670 were rejected votes.
He said, “I, Professor Akpofura Rim-rukehm Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources hereby declare the results of the 2023 governorship election held on the 18th of March, 2023.
“That Fubara Siminialayi of the PDP having scored the highest votes and having the certified percent spread with a satisfactory margin of lead, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
The declaration was not without some drama as party agents from the Labour party, and SDP protested the outcome of the elections, describing it as a sham and shameful to democracy.
They also called for the cancellation of the entire poll. But the returning officer had earlier advised them to note their reservations and channeled them appropriately with evidence.
