Based on close analysis of unconfirmed poll results, SaharaReporters projects that incumbent Governor Rochas Okorocha has secured victory after today’s supplementary polls to conclude the inconclusive governorship election in Imo State. Mr. Okorocha, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), appears to have easily beaten Emeka Ihedioha, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The projected loser, Mr. Ihedioha, served as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
Based on close analysis of unconfirmed poll results, SaharaReporters projects that incumbent Governor Rochas Okorocha has secured victory after today’s supplementary polls to conclude the inconclusive governorship election in Imo State. Mr. Okorocha, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), appears to have easily beaten Emeka Ihedioha, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The projected loser, Mr. Ihedioha, served as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
As the collation process nears completion, Oru East constituency has become a battleground local government area with six remaining wards and 24,990 registered voters.
An analyst told SaharaReporters that the power of incumbency proved a significant factor in Governor Okorocha’s path to reelection. The Imo State election governorship election experienced some systemic snags, with both major parties exchanging allegations of widespread rigging, ballot box snatching, violence, and sundry other electoral offenses.
There were also allegations of mismanagement by INEC officials during the March 28 gubernatorial elections that held nation-wide. The problems prompted INEC chairman Attahiru Jega to deploy Mike Igini, the Resident Election Commissioner of Edo State, to Imo State to run the supplementary elections.
Unconfirmed polling results indicated a low voter turnout in today’s supplementary election. The election also witnessed high-profile arrests of poll fraudsters, including the sister and son of Senator Hope Uzodinma of the PDP.
Governor Okorocha was already leading by at least 80,000 votes before the elections were declared inconclusive.