#bayelsadecides2023: It’s Official: INEC Declares PDP’s Diri Winner

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared incumbent governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

THE INEC returning officer, Farouk Adamu, made the declaration on Monday afternoon.

Mr Adamu said Mr Diri scored a total of 175,196 votes to emerge the winner while ex-governor Timipre Sylva, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 110,108 votes. None of the other 14 candidates scored up to 1,000 votes.

At the collation centre in Yenagoa, the APC agent refused to sign the result sheet and alleged fraud. He said INEC at the collation centre cancelled over 80,000 APC votes across the state. The cancellation was not done at the wards or local government collation centres, he said. He said his party had sent a petition to INEC to review the result.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how elections were held in the eight local government areas of Bayelsa on Saturday. Mr Diri won in six of the local governments while Mr Sylva won in two.

PREMIUM TIMES