Okorocha secures senate seat, only northern female senator loses

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced Rochas Okorocha, Imo state governor, as winner of the Imo west senatorial election.

Francis Ibeawuchi, INEC returning officer for the election, declared that Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner, after he polled a total of 97,762 votes and won in ten of the 12 local government areas.

Jones Onyereri, his closest challenger who is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 63,117 votes.

The returning officer, however, said he was “forced” to announce the results.

The announcement was controversially stopped on Sunday night after results from nine local governments were collated, with Okorocha leading in eight of them.

Ibeawuchi had said he stopped the process because he was asked to “return” to Owerri, the state capital.

When he continued on Monday morning, returning officer announced the remaining three local government areas, with Okorocha winning in two of them.

Before then, both Okorocha and Onyeriri had separately visited the collation centre.

In Adamawa, Binta Garba, the only female senator in the north, lost the Adamawa north senatorial election to Ishaku Abbo of the PDP.

While Abbo polled 79, 37 votes, Garba garnered 63, 219 votes.

Garba, who is 52, is a first-term senator.