By Ishaya Ibrahim
Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri has been declared winner of the concluded governorship election with 175,196 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Timipre Sylva, who scored 110,108 votes
The Labour Party candidate, Udengs Eradiri, scored 905 votes.
INEC returning officer for the Bayelsa election, Farouk Kuta, said “Diri, having polled the majority votes and satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby by returned elected.”
But APC’s agent at the collation, faulted the declaration of Diri on ground that the margin of lead was insignificant enough to declare a winner. He noted that areas where elections were cancelled had over 100,000 PVCs collected, while the margin of lead is just 65, 000. He said the returning officer ought to declare the election inconclusive and order a rerun in the areas where elections were cancelled.
READ ALSO
Kogi’s SDP guber candidate, Ajaka slams INEC, says tribunal is a waste of time
Bayelsa has 1,560,862 registered voters. Those accredited to vote were 372,000. Those number of valid votes are 291,212 votes.
Here’s a breakdown of the results per the eight local governments of the state.
Bayelsa Southern Ijaw
Registered Voters – 184,401
APC – 18,174
LP – 119
PDP – 24,685
Valid Votes – 43,158
Rejected Votes – 663
Total Votes Cast – 43,821
Brass LGA
Registered Voters: 94040
Accredited Voters: 32064
APC: 18,431
LP: 83
PDP: 12,602
Ekeremor LGA
No of Registration Areas – 12
Registered voters – 137,225
Accredited voters – 32,066
APC – 8445
LP – 50
PDP – 23,172
Total valid votes – 31741
Rejected votes – 279
Total Votes Cast – 32020
Nembe LGA
No of Registration Areas – 13
Registered voters – 99,035
Accredited voters – 27,404
APC – 22,248
LP – 113
PDP – 4,556
Total valid votes – 27036
Rejected votes – 264
Total Votes Cast – 27,300
Sagbama LGA
No of Registration Areas – 14
Registered voters – 138,832
Accredited voters – 42, 879
APC – 6608
LP -217
PDP -35,504
Total valid votes – 42,467
Rejected votes – 393
Total Votes Cast – 42860
Yenagoa LGA
15 Registration Areas
Registered Voters – 218,394
Accredited Voters – 54,380
APC – 14,534
LP – 244
PDP – 37,777
Total Valid Votes – 53,052
Rejected Votes – 1,018
Total Votes Cast – 54,070
Ogbia LGA
Registered Voters: 119,571
Accredited Voters: 36,955
APC – 16,319
LP – 57
PDP – 18,435
Total Valid Votes – 34,971
Rejected Votes – 497
Total Votes Cast – 35,468
Kolokuma-Okokuma LGA
Wards: 11
Registered Voters: 65,364
Accredited Voters: 24,171
APC – 5,349
LP – 22
PDP – 18,465
Valid Votes: 23,918
Rejected Votes: 141
Total Votes Cast: 24,059