Updated: Wike re-elected Rivers governor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Wednesday declared Nyesom Ezenwo Wike winner of the Rivers governorship election conducted on March 9.

The governor was declared re-elected following the final collation of results three weeks after the exercise was suspended over invasion of collation centre by some security operatives.

The electoral umpire had suspended the collation of the results of the election in the state on March 10, citing electoral violence.

The electoral umpire also announced a schedule of activities for the resumption of the exercise, stating that collation and announcement of results would hold between April 2 and 5.

When the exercise resumed, the INEC, which commenced the collation and compilation of results from 23 local governments on Monday, declared that Wike polled 886,264 to defeat his closest rival Biokpomabo Awara who scored 173,857 votes.

The announcement ended weeks of anxious care from both the electorate and political parties who had expressed serious concern over the delay in the completion of the exercise along with the 29 other states where governorship elections were conducted.

INEC’s collation officer for the governorship election, Prof Teddy Adias had declared the PDP candidate winner having scored the highest votes and satisfied the conditions of the elections. Awara was adopted by Rotimi Amechi-led All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting to the declaration, Wike declared that there was no winner or loser in the election stressing that whatever outcome there was was for the good people of River state.

“There is neither a winner nor loser in the election. In fact, it is victory for River state. We shall run an inclusive government that accommodates every River state indigenes,” he said and extended the hand of fellowship to others from opposing political camps.

Meanwhile, the former Vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated Governor Wike for coming out tops in the exercise.

“It gives me much pleasure to see a political force such as yourself, overcome the anti-democratic forces of dictatorship and oppression. I am sure you will continue the pattern of good works for which you have become renowned.”

Similarly, the PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, also congratulated Wike on his re-election, saying the party was proud of Wike and all its flag bearers and their conduct during and after the election.

“By your peaceful conducts in the face of provocations, you have demonstrated truly that democracy is in your DNA and this we will continue to exhibit until all non democrats pretending to be one are flushed out of our polity”, he said.

Before the announcement the PDP had claimed that the opposition APC was planning to scuttle the final collation of the results.

“The PDP has full information of how the APC plots to scuttle the collation, render the process inconclusive and trigger a constitution crisis in the state.

“The party cautions that the public is already aware of the result of the election, that Governor Wike is the clear winner and that the people of Rivers state are now more than ever before, all out to ensure that the process is concluded without further delay.

“The PDP, therefore, charges the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to immediately direct adequate security at the collation centre and ensure that the process is concluded and Governor Wike declared winner according to the wishes of majority of the people of Rivers state”, it said through Kola Ologbondiyan, its spokesman.

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