*Wike had delivered his anointed candidate
Eric Olusesan/Port Harcourt
Siminalayi Fubara, the Governorship candidate of PDP has been declared winner of the Governorship election in Rivers State.
Fubara who is the anointed candidate of Governor Nyesom Wike was declared winner by the State Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh while announcing the result late Monday night at the end collation at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Head Office along Port Harcourt/Aba Expressway, Port Harcourt.
According to Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Peteroleum Resources, Effuru, Delta State, Fubara of PDP scored 302,614 votes to trounce his closest rival, Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 95,274 votes.
Senator Magnus Abe of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) 46,981, came third, while Beatrice Ituboh of Labour Party (LP), fourth with 22,224 votes.
Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh said a total of 496,852 were accredited for the March 18 governorship election out of the 3,537,190 registered voters in the State. He stated 494,604 total votes cast, 483,934 were valid while 10, 670 were rejected votes.
Ahead of his official declaration as winner reports have it that there have massive celebration with boat regatta in his Opobo community in Opobo Nkoro local government area.
Meanwhile, Tonye Cole of APC has rejected the results and called for total cancellation of the election alleging irregularities.
He vowed the declaration of Siminalayi Fubara as Governor-Elect will not stand because it will be challenged through the laid down democratic process.
Cole regretted the killings of party members, arrests and abduction of others during the election.