Okorocha Emerges Winner In Imo Re-run Elections

by Chris Nomjov

Incumbent Governor of Imo State and the All Progressive Congress, APC, gubernatorial flagbearer, Rochas Okorocha has emerged the winner of the supplementary elections in Imo State; securing a second term in office.

Governor Okorocha was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the re-run election held in the state on Saturday.

The re-run was between Governor Okorocha and Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Governor Okorocha polled 416,996 votes while Mr Ihedioha got 320,705 votes.

It would be recalled that INEC had declared the April 11th governorship in the state inconclusive.

Before the INEC’s decision on that April 12th, the incumbent Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rochas Okorocha, was leading in the polls. He had won in 20 Local Government Areas(LGAs) out of 27 LGAs.

However, Governor Okorocha, though a tad disappointed,  expressed confidence that he would win the elections.

“It is not the first time elections in the my state are declared inconclusive. I went through it in 2011.

“This clearly shows who the winner of the election is,” he said.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the elongated process of result announcement, the governor said out of the about 1.8 million voters, only
1.44 million collected their Permanent Voter Cards and less than 700,000 people voted which sums up to 40 per cent.

He further said that he would like to go for a supplementary election, but however, admitted that the election process was free and fair in some areas. He said turnout was not as expected.

This is the second successive time that elections in Imo State will be declared inconclusive and a rerun conducted, with Mr. Okorocha, emerg. In 2011, INEC also declared elections that brought Governor Okorocha in inconclusive. After investigations a supplementary election was held and Governor Okorocha, who contested then under the All Progressive Grand Alliance, was declared winner.