LAGOS 26TH (URHOBOTODAY)-It was jubilation galore for members of the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party as the party’s candidates swept Saturday’s local government areas elections in the state.
Twenty-three of the party’s candidates won their elections, out of the 25 council areas.
They beat other contenders in opposition parties, including the All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the Peoples Democratic Movement hands-down.
Moses Ogbe, the Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission, flanked by the commission’s Returning Officers from the 23 council areas, who reeled out the elections results at the commission’s headquarters in Asaba on Sunday decried the role politicians played in some parts of the state to stall the exercise.
According to Ogbe, some unscrupulous politicians who attempted to disrupt the smooth conduct of the elections in Ethiope East Local Government Area and a few others failed.
He said: “We have reports from few areas where some politicians attempted to disrupt the exercise.
“It is unfortunate that we have not learnt our lessons from past elections.
“We envisaged that this election will serve as litmus test for 2015 general election in the state, but it is regrettable that few unscrupulous elements complicated the matter.”
From the results declared so far, the ruling party has won 23 council areas, including the two unopposed ones – Ethiope West and Patani Local Government Areas, where opposition fielded no candidates – even as he averred that the election was inconclusive in Ethiope East Local Government Area.
Ogbe also announced that the ruling party was returned unopposed in 96 wards out of the 466 wards across the state.
He listed the council areas where the PDP won to include Warri South, Sapele, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, Ika South, Ika North-East, Ukwuani, Ndokwa West, Warri North, Okpe, Udu, Ughelli North, Warri South-West, Bomadi, Ughelli South, Burutu, Patani, Ethiope West, Uvwie, Aniocha South, Isoko North and South, and Aniocha North.
The election in Ndowka East Local Government Area was annulled following the crisis of non-conduct of the exercise in the locality.
“Election in Ndowka East has been slated for a later day,” Ogbe said.
He recounted how the crisis in Burutu, where Ebikeme, the son of the First Republic Minister of Information and foremost Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, emerged as the winner, forced the Returning Officer of the council to escape to the Government House (Annex), Warri to collate the results.
Besides Ebikeke Clark, other winners of the election include Chief Isaac Anwuzia (Aniocha South), Hon. Ejaife Odebala (Sapele), Mofe Matthew Edema (Warri South), Chuks Oseme (Aniocha North), Ofume Fred (Ika South), Francis Eboka (Ika North East), Malik Ikpopo (Isoko South) and Benedicta Ndudi (Ukwuani).
The rest are Ifeanyi Osakwe (Ndokwa West, the son of Senator Patrick Osakwe), Chuks Obusom (Oshimili South), Francis Mauka (Warri North), Francis Eyiyere (Okpe), Solomon Pome (Udu), Kesena Kenneth (Ughelli North), Olukarefemi Felix (Bomadi), Paul Otega (Ughelli South), Baro Henry (Uvwie), Comrade Emmanuel Ebagbor (Isoko North) and the brother of Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo, George Ekpemupolo (Warri South-West).