The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Siminaliayi Fubara, has been declared the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Rivers State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Fabura the winner of the poll on Monday night.
The PDP’s flagbearer was said to have cleared all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, amid allegations of massive rigging.
Party agents of the Labour party and Social Democratic Party had 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.
However, 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 SDP candidate, Senator Magnus Abe, and Labour Party’s Beatrice Itubo came a distant third and fourth with 46,981 and 22,224 votes respectively.
According to Rim-Rukeh, 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.”
CHECKPOINTCHARLEY 