The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Wogu Olaka Johnson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday, 20 June.
Rosemary Ogwu, a professor and returning officer for the election, announced the result on Sunday at the Rivers South East Senatorial Collation Centre in Khana Local Government Council Secretariat in Bori.
Ms Ogwu said Mr Johnson polled 47,961 votes, defeating three other candidates in the keenly contested election.
According to her, Osar Erewari of the All Progressives Congress secured 1,647 votes, while Douglas Fabeka Beke of the Action Alliance (AA) garnered 1,175 votes.
She added that Sam Barikwa of the Labour Party received 367 votes.
Ms Ogwu stated that Mr Johnson of PDP satisfied the law’s requirements and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, and is “hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
The declaration was witnessed by May Agbamuche-Mbu, the INEC national commissioner and Johnson Siniken, the resident electoral commissioner in Rivers.
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Others include Etekamba Umoren, the resident electoral commissioner in charge of Delta State; Angela Ebhodaghe, the administrative secretary of INEC in Rivers, and Mohamed Fufore, deputy director of election management at INEC headquarters, Abuja.
Also present were Otafu Peter, head of electoral operations in Rivers, local government collation officers, electoral officers, party agents, security personnel, and journalists.
The by-election was conducted to fill the vacant seat of the Rivers South-East Senatorial district in the National Assembly, following the death of Senator Barry Barinada Mpigi in February.
