Against the backdrop of claims about electoral fraud in the oil-rich southern Nigerian state of Rivers, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared former minister of state for Education and governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, as the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship elections

The results was announced at about 4:13 am on Monday, at the INEC office in Port Harcourt by the Returning Officer for the state and Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, Professor Faraday Osasere Oruwese.

He said Wike garnered 1,029,102 (One Million and Twenty Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Two) votes representing 87.77 per cent to emerge as winner.

According to the result, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, came second with 124,896 (One Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Six), while candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Prince Tonye Princewill, came third with 10,142 (Ten Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Two) votes.

The PDP also won 25 seats in the State House of Assembly election, while APC won one seat in Eleme Constituency in the results so far announced.

Meanwhile, INEC has declared that results in six constituencies, including Ahoada East I, Ahoada East II, Emohua, Etche I, Etche II, and Opobo/Nkoro were inconclusive.

A statement signed by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Dame Gesila Khan, said a date for the elections will be communicated to the public.

Also, the results for Emohua was also canceled for the governorship election after the Collation Officer, EO, in the area, Dr (Mrs) Julie Umukoro called for the cancelation of the entire election, saying the process was marred with violence.

However, agents of the APC refused to sign the result sheets after several protests over what they perceived as foul play on the side of the collation officers.