INEC declares Nwifuru of APC as Ebonyi governor-elect

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abakaliki on Monday, declared APC’s governorship candidate, Mr Francis Nwifuru as winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The INEC’s State Collation Officer, Prof. Charles Igwe, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsuka (UNN) declared Nwifuru as the winner having satisfied the electoral act.

Igwe said that Nwifuru polled 199, 131 votes to win the poll.

According to him, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected by the Returning Officer.

He said that the Prof. Bernard Odoh of APGA, polled 52,189 to emerge second, while Dr Ifeanyi Odii of the PDP, polled 80,191 votes.

He said that the total number of accredited votes was 350,345, out of the 1,597,646 registered votes in the state.

He added that the total votes cast was 349,941, valid vote, 342,554, while the rejected votes stood at 7,387.

Our correspondent reports that the governor-elect won in 10 out of the 13 Local Government Areas of the state, while the APGA candidate won in two LGAs and the PDP candidate one.

Our correspondent also reports that Nwifuru would be the fourth executive governor of the 27 year-old state.