Wogu Olaka Johnson, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has emerged victorious in the Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election conducted on June 20.
The result was officially announced on Sunday by the election’s Returning Officer, Prof. Rosemary Ogwu, at the senatorial collation centre located at the Khana Local Government Secretariat in Bori.
According to the results declared, Johnson secured a total of 47,961 votes, comfortably defeating his opponents in the race. His closest rival, Osar Erewari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 1,647 votes. Douglas Fabeka Beke of the Action Alliance (AA) received 1,175 votes, while Labour Party (LP) candidate Sam Barikwa garnered 367 votes.
While declaring the outcome, Ogwu stated that Johnson fulfilled all legal requirements and obtained the highest number of valid votes cast in the election. She subsequently announced him as the duly elected senator for the district.
The declaration ceremony was witnessed by several senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu and the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Johnson Siniken.
Other officials present were Delta State REC Etekamba Omoren, Rivers State Administrative Secretary Dr. Angela Ebhodaghe, and Dr. Mohamed Fufore, Deputy Director of Election Management at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Also in attendance were electoral officers, collation officials, party representatives, security personnel, journalists, and other stakeholders involved in the electoral process.
The by-election was organised to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Barry Barinada Mpigi, who represented the district before his passing in February.
