INEC Declares Olaka Nwogu Winner of Rivers South East Senatorial By-election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Olaka Nwogu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday.

Announcing the result at the Rivers South East Senatorial Collation Centre in Bori, the Returning Officer, Professor Rosemary Ogu, said Nwogu secured 46,961 votes to defeat his closest rival, Osarokaka Ebenezer Erewari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 1,647 votes.

The Action Alliance (AA) candidate, Douglas Fabeke, came third with 1,175 votes, while the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Sam Kinani, recorded 367 votes.

Professor Ogu declared that Nwogu, a political ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had fulfilled all legal requirements to emerge victorious.

“Having satisfied the requirements of the law, Nwogu Olaka Johnson of the PDP is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” she announced.

The by-election was conducted to fill the senatorial seat left vacant following the death of Senator Barry Mpigi in February.

Four political parties the APC, PDP, Action Alliance, and Labour Party  participated in the election, which was held across the seven local government areas that make up the Rivers South East Senatorial District: Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme, Andoni, Oyigbo, and Opobo.