The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented a certificate of return to Bayelsa State Governor-elect, Douye Diri.
Mr Diri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was presented the certificate on Friday by the national commissioner in charge of South/South, May Agbamuche-Mbu, at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had declared Diri winner of the governorship election held on November 16 in Bayelsa.
“In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the commission met this morning and reviewed the result of the election in which 45 political parties contested,” Yakubu said.
“Without the votes scored by the APC, whose candidates were deemed not to have participated in the election, the total number of lawful and valid votes cast in the election now stands at 146,999.
“Out of this figure, the candidate of the PDP scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172.
“Similarly, the party had scored more than 25 per cent of the lawful votes cast in all the eight Local Government Areas of the state.
“Furthermore, the total number of registered voters in places where election was not held or cancelled as a result of sundry violations is 90,822.
“The candidate of the Accord Party has the next highest score with 1,339 votes.
“The margin of lead between the candidates of the PDP and the Accord party is 141,833 votes. With this outcome, the election is conclusive at first ballot.
“Consequently, Sen. Diri and Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the PDP are hereby declared winners and returned elected as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State respectively.”
