The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced Nyesom Wike, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the governorship election in Rivers State.

According to the State Collation Officer, Professor Teddy Adias, Wike win the election with 886,264 votes to defeat his closest rival, Awara Biokpomabo, candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), who polled 173,859 votes.

The electoral umpire had suspended the elections in Rivers State citing widespread violence. It later disclosed that it has taken custody of 17 local government areas with six LGAs yet to be collated. Surprisingly, the commission announced the results of 21 LGAs.

A former Deputy Governor of the State, Tele Ikuru, who was also the state collation agent of the PDP, described Wike’s victory as “a loud statement by Rivers people as to what they want and who they want to govern them”.

The AAC, however, took exception to the results as announced by INEC, saying it was not a true reflection of what transpired during the electoral process in the state.