Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has secured his first victory in the African Democratic Congress presidential primary, emerging winner in Bayelsa State.
Amaechi was declared winner on Tuesday at the ADC collation centre in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Announcing the result, Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Committee in Bayelsa and Returning Officer, Commodore Promise Dappa (retd.), said Amaechi polled 44,404 votes to defeat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
According to the figures announced, Atiku scored 6,570 votes, while Hayatu-Deen garnered 939 votes.
Amaechi dominated the exercise across the state, reportedly winning most votes in all eight local government areas during the direct primary conducted on Monday across Bayelsa’s 105 wards.
Dappa said the election recorded strong participation among party members.
“Out of a total of 56,356 registered voters, 53,298 were accredited, with 51,913 valid votes and 1,785 rejected votes,” he stated.
Flanked by members of the electoral committee and party officials, the returning officer formally declared Amaechi winner of the state primary.
“By the powers conferred on me as the Chairman of the presidential primary election in Bayelsa State and also the Returning Officer of the Presidential Primary election in the state, I hereby declare Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the winner of the ADC Presidential Primary election in Bayelsa State having polled the highest number of votes in the state,” Dappa announced.
The Bayelsa result gives Amaechi an early boost in the contest, which has been largely dominated by Atiku in several states already declared.
Meanwhile, DDM reported that one of the ADC aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen has distanced himself from the process, announcing he would not participate in the next stage of the primary over alleged irregularities and claims of vote manipulation.
His withdrawal has added a fresh layer of tension to the ongoing exercise as collation continues nationwide.
