Governor Samuel Ortom of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged winner of the Benue gubernatorial elections as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.

According to the results announced by Prof Sabastine Maimako, Returning Officer for the election, the PDP candidate scored 434,473 votes of the total 846, 222 votes cast at the poll to defeat his closest challengers, Emmanuel Jime of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) who polled 345, 155 and 26, 786 votes respectively.

The incumbent Governor, Ortom who was leading in the March 9 governorship poll before it was declared inconclusive as the margin of lead between the top 2 candidates was below that of cancelled votes from more than ten local government areas in the state, has been engaged in a fierce battle to save his seat since he defected from his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) but has now officially won a second term in office with his victory at the supplementary election conducted on Saturday, March 23.

Total votes cast: 846, 222

Total valid votes: 830,954

Rejected votes: 15, 268

Below is the breakdown of votes garnered by other candidates:

ABP – 112

ACD – 156

ADC – 1,693

ADP – 1, 224

ANN – 477

APC – 345, 155

APDA – 730

APGA – 3, 502

CAP – 50

DA -42

GDPN -43

JMPP – 78

LP – 3,742

MPN – 204

NCP – 1,513

NPPP – 123

NRM – 567

PDP – 434, 473

PPC – 956

PPN – 1,056

PPP – 370

PRP – 26, 786

PT – 117

SDP – 5,620

UPP – 197

YPP – 424

ZLP – 128