Imo Guber: Gov. Okorocha Declared Winner In Re-run Poll
In the Saturday’s supplementary governorship election in Imo state, incumbent governor Rochas Okorocha, has emerged winner in the state.
Okorocha, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) won in 20 out of the 23 Local Government areas in the state where the supplementary election was held, polling a total of 31,326 votes.
His closest challenger, Emeka Ihedioha, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) garnered 13,624 votes.
The outcome of Saturday’s election effectively truncated Ihedioha’s hope of overtaking the governor and winning the election. The PDP candidate trailed Okorocha by 79,525 votes in the substantive election a forthnight ago.
The result of the election was declared inconclusive by the Returning Officer, Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, two weeks ago because the margin of victory between the top two contenders the APC and the PDP was less than the number of registered voters in areas where elections did not hold or was cancelled due to irregularities, thus necessitating a supplementary election, as required by the electoral law.
Announcing the total result (substantive and supplementary) polled by the candidates in the early hours of Sunday, Ibidapo-Obe declared Okorocha winner, having polled the highest number of votes and having satisfied the requirement of the law.
Okorocha polled a total of 416,996 votes out of the total 806,764 votes cast in the election. Coming a second was Ihedioha with 320,705 and Emmanuel Ihenacho of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in distant third with 28,434 votes.
The supporters of Okorocha at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bust into a Christian song of praise immediately he was announced winner.
“We want to assure the Imolites that their votes count and the expression of their gratitude in the works of His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been clearly registered through their votes,” said Alfred Anunugba, the APC agent.
“I’m optimistic that we are yet to see the best of Owelle Okorocha at work. So the Imolites are in for something greater, something more reassuring and something enduring,”Anunugba added.
