The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of Bayelsa State governorship election held on Saturday, November 16.
The APC candidate beat the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) candidate, Duoye Diri with 209,380 votes.
Prof. Faraday Orumwense, the Returning Officer for the election declared the result at 1:00am on Monday at the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu Media Centre, Yenagoa, venue of the state collation centre.
According to Orumwense, the APC candidate polled a total of 352,552 votes to beat his closest rival, PDP’s Diri, who scored 143,172 votes.
He added that the total registered voters for the election was 922,562, while the total accredited voters for the election was 517,888.
Orumwense further stated that the total valid votes for the was 499,551;the total vote cast was 505, 884 while 633 was rejected.
Out of the eight local government areas in the where, APC won in six while the PDP woon in two.
Announcing the winner of the governorship poll, the state returning officer said: “I, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, declared that Lyon having satisfied the INEC requirement is hereby returned elected.”
The announcement was greeted with a riotous shouts of celebration by supporters of the APC candidate.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated APC candidate on his “impressive victory” at the poll.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the president also commends APC supporters in particular and Nigerians in general in the State who exercised their civic rights in a peaceful manner, notwithstanding the pockets of unrest recorded in some locations.
Condemning the loss of lives in Bayelsa, particularly prior to the election, the President commiserates with the families of the victims.
According to President Buhari, “Violence during elections vitiates our commitment to demonstrate to the world and upcoming generation that we are a people capable of electing leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner.”
He noted that while INEC officials and security agencies did their best within the ambit of the law to ensure free, fair and credible elections, it is unfortunate that pockets of unrest, mostly sponsored by desperate politicians, were recorded during the poll.
“The President looks forward to working with the incoming government to improve the lives of the people in Bayelsa State, while ensuring the security of lives and property of all citizens,” the statement added.
President Buhari urged the Governor-elect, Lyon, to carry other divergent interests along in the next phase of governance, imploring those not satisfied with the outcome of the poll to seek redress through the constitutionally established channels.
