PDP Wins Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election

By Bassey Willie, Port Harcourt

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nwoku Olaka Johnson, winner of Saturday’s by-election for the Rivers South-East Senatorial District seat.

Announcing the result at the INEC collation centre in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, the Returning Officer, Professor Rosemary Ogu of the University of Port Harcourt, said the PDP candidate secured 47,961 votes out of the 51,150 valid votes cast across the district’s seven local government areas.

According to her, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osarosaka Ebenezer Erewari, came second with 1,647 votes, while Douglas Fabeke Beeka of the Action Alliance (AA) polled 1,175 votes.

The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Sam Kinanee Barikpoa, scored 367 votes.

Professor Ogu, who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Port Harcourt, declared: “That Nwoku Olaka Johnson of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

The Rivers South-East Senatorial District seat became vacant following the death of Senator Barry Barinada Mpigi in February 2026.

It was gathered that all four candidates who contested the by-election are members of the political coalition led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in Rivers State.

Earlier, while casting his vote in Alesa, Eleme Local Government Area, the PDP candidate described voter turnout as impressive and said it showed public confidence in the electoral process.

He, however, urged INEC to exercise caution in its reliance on technology, citing concerns over reports of challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

“We hear that the BVAS machines are having some challenges. I urge INEC to avoid anything that will lead to disenfranchisement.

“INEC should be more cautious in relying on technology. It is important for our people to vote during the election,” he said.