Tobias Sylvester
Siminialayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the Rivers State governorship election.
The Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh announced the result late Monday night at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Head Office in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Fubara, who is the anointed candidate of Nyesom Wike, the outgoing governor of Rivers state, won in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
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 have the certified percent spread with satisfactory margin of lead, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
Following the declaration, party agents from the opposition parties protested the result and demanded a cancellation of the election.
But the returning officer had earlier advised them to note their reservations and channeled them appropriately with evidence.
KanyiDaily recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also declared Caleb Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the governorship election in Plateau State.
