…This Victory Showed There’s Time For Everything, Sim Tells Supporters
An orgy of jubilation erupted in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital following the declaration of Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara as the duly elected governor of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Monday night.
Despite coming close to midnight of Monday when most people had gone to bed, the declaration of Sim Fubara’s victory by the INEC elicited shouts which shook them off sleep.
At Iloabuchi Diobu area of Port Harcourt, an area predominantly occupied by people of Opobo extraction, where the governor-elect hails from, people screamed with joy, singing and dancing to the famous Nwatam songs.
The same mood was reported about residents in different parts of Obio Akpor and Eleme Local Government Areas as well as Marine Base and Town axis of Port Harcourt.
Sir Siminialayi Fubara who flew the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated his closest rivals, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Arch. Tonye Cole, Senator Magnus Abe of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Beatrice Itubor of Labour Party (LP).
Figures released by the State’s Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh late Monday night after two days collation at the INEC Head Office in Port Harcourt, showed that the PDP candidate polled 302,614 votes the candidate of APC scored 95,274 votes.
The candidate of the SDP, Senator Magnus Abe, and LP’s Beatrice Itubo came a distant third and fourth with 46,981 and 22,224 votes respectively.
Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources 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 explained that of the 494,604 total votes cast, 483,934 were valid while 10, 670 were rejected votes. However, some party agents at the State Collation Centre rejected the results, saying the figures were allegedly ‘allocated’.
The party agents alleged that the results announced at the state collation centre didn’t tally with what they have at hand and what their agents submitted to them.
At the Rivers State Government House where the governor-elect would be expected to resume work after his swearing-in on 29th of May, 2023, supporters of the PDP including serving and elected members of the National and State Assemblies, who had waited all day for the INEC declaration, laid siege to savour the victory with him.
Overjoyed by the development, Sir Sim Fubara thanked them for standing by him from the start to finish, assuring to draw inspiration from the support given him by Rivers people.
“Where do I start? Is it how we got into this race to my emergence as candidate and eventual victory today? What this event showed today is that there is time for everything. We shall work for the unity and progress of Rivers State.
“We shall work for the consolidation of the New Vision. We are going to work with everybody who believes in that vision, in the dignity and protection of the integrity of the Rivers man and woman.
“We shall continue to defend our party, the PDP in the state. Our vision is anchored on the New Rivers Vision”, he said even as he showered encomiums on his principal, adding that Governor Wike would be leaving a very big shoe difficult to wear, but expressed confidence that God would give him the needed wisdom to govern the state.
Recall that INEC declared Sir Siminialayi Fubara, winner of the Governorship election in Rivers State having polled 302,614 and having 25% spread satisfactory margin of lead and generally satisfied the requirements of the law.
