Governor Nyesom Wike was on Wednesday declared as the winner of the Rivers’ State gubernatorial election held on March 9, 2019.
According to the by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Wike polled a total of 886,264 votes to defeat Biokpomabo Awara of the African Action Congress (AAC), who garnered 173,859 votes.
By the results, the re-elected governor and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won by a margin of 712,405.
By the end of Tuesday, when INEC had announced results from 15 local government areas, Wike had polled 426,369 votes against 129,855 votes secured by Awara.
The lead was extended when the commission announced four more results Wednesday.
In Degema Local Government, Wike polled 12,133 votes to Awara’s 5,071 votes. In the 12 wards of Asari-Toru LGA, he had 32,172 votes to Awara’s 18,945; while in the 12 wards of Ogo/Bolo LGA, he polled 11,855 votes to Awara’s 814.
The surprise of the day was in the 17 wards of Obio/Akpor LGA, where he polled an astounding 281,164 votes to Awara’s 7,495.
These results brought Wike’s total as of Wednesday afternoon to 763,603 votes while Awara had 162,180.
When results of the four outstanding local governments were announced on Wednesday evening, Wike’s votes soared to 886,264, with Awara recording a distant 173,859, resulting in his emergence as the winner.
On day one of the collation, Wike bagged 15 states while his closest rival, Awara won in two local councils. The next day, Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Wike won in four more local council areas. The state has 23 LGAs.
The electoral law requires a contestant to win the highest votes in addition to at least 25 percent in two-third of the local councils, which is 15 states in the case of Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the APC, which is not on the ballot but which is believed to be pushing the AAC, has threatened to go to court after INEC would have announced results to challenge the validity of the collation.
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP in the February 23 election, congratulated Governor Wike on his victory.
“My hearty congratulations to Governor Nyesom Wike on your hard earned re-election. It gives me much pleasure to see a political force for good, such as yourself, overcome the anti-democratic forces of dictatorship and oppression,” Abubakar said in a statement he personally signed.
“The People’s Democratic Party is blessed to have a political gladiator, such as yourself, on our side. The citizens of Rivers State are fortunate to have a genuine progressive return to extend the frontiers of progress and development for them. And I am favoured to count you, Governor Wike, as my friend and brother, and Rivers State as my second home,” Atiku said.
The former vice president further said, “As your victory is savoured by men of goodwill all over Nigeria, I am sure you will continue the pattern of good works for which you have become known.
“Nigeria needs men like you; men who can remain firm, unbowed and resolute in the face of trying times. You have proved that you have character under trial, and not just when the going is good. Such refinement will stand you in good stead as, by the grace of God, you finish the good work you have started in Rivers state.”
Ignatius Chukw, Port Harcourt, & Owede Agbajileke, Abuja
