The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has declared Emeka Ihedioha as the governor-elect for Imo State in the keenly contested election in the state.
Prof Francis Otonta, the returning officer of INEC announced the final results at the Imo governorship election collation centre in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday, March 12, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
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Ihedioha, a former deputy speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, won in 11 of the 27 local government area, polling a total 273,404 votes to defeat his closest contender, Mr Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA) who won in 10 LGAs and scored 190,364 votes.
Imo gubernatorial contest include Mr Ifeanyi Araraume of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a former senator who had 114,676 votes, winning in four LGAs. APC’s Hope Uzodinma, a serving Senator representing Imo west senatorial district garnered 96,458 votes and won in two LGAs to take the fourth position.
A former governor of Imo, Ikedi Ohakim of the Accord Party, who polled 6,846 votes to trail alongside others, did not win in any of the council areas.
A total of 739,474 votes were cast with 25,130 of the votes rejected while 714,344 were valid. Otonta, who is the vice chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike thanked INEC officials, political party agents, security operatives and journalists for their patriotic commitment to national assignment.
“I salute your patriotism and commitment to this national assignment.
“I hereby declare that Emeka Ihedioha, having satisfied all the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes has won the election and is hereby returned,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the Action Alliance (AA)’s candidate in Imo state, Ugwumba Nwosu, has rejected the victory of Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a statement made available, Nwosu said that Ihedioha’s victory was stolen and that the leadership of the party has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconsider its position, hoping that it will do same.
www.sojworld.com (c) March 12, 2019
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