Kingsley Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, has been declared winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Rivers State after running unopposed.
Bitrus Kwamoti, the Returning Officer, announced that Mr Chinda polled a total of 268,497 votes, representing the number of APC members who voted in his favour across the state.
“The figure represents a true and accurate record of the votes collated across the state during the exercise,” Mr Kwamoti said.
He confirmed that Mr Chinda had satisfied all requirements of the APC constitution and the party’s guidelines for the election. The exercise, he added, was peaceful and conducted in an orderly manner across all wards in the state.
“It was in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines,” the returning officer said.
Mr Kwamoti commended party members and the people of Rivers for their orderly conduct throughout the process.
‘The Best Candidate’
In his reaction, Felix Obuah, an APC chieftain in Rivers State, said the party now stood a formidable chance of winning the forthcoming governorship poll.
“Our party has presented the best candidate for the governorship election. I am personally grateful to God. With the outcome of this exercise, I can tell you that Rivers people are united, irrespective of ethnic background,” Mr Obuah said.
He described Mr Chinda as a dependable and trusted administrator with a strong commitment to the development of Rivers State.
Key Contenders Withdraw
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, along with Tonye Cole and George Kelly, withdrew from the race ahead of the primary, paving the way for Mr Chinda to stand unopposed.