Senator Douye Diri has emerged winner of the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in Bayelsa State.
The Governor Darius Ishaku – led PDP Bayelsa State Governorship Primary Committee conducted the exercise at the Dr . Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre , Yenagoa .
The exercise , which began at 11 : 30 pm Tuesday night ended at 5 : 00 am Wednesday morning .
Diri , who represents Bayelsa Central at the National Assembly, defeated 19 other aspirants to emerge the PDP candidate for the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state .
One of the 21 aspirants , Talford Ongolo , had stepped down from the race on the eve of the primary poll .
Diri polled a total of 561 votes to win the governorship ticket of the PDP .
Former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Timi Alaibe , came second with 365 votes.
Diri and Alaibe are from the same Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area .
Keniebi Okoko , son of a former national President of the Ijaw National Congress and Professor of Political Science , Kimse Okoko, got third position in the primaries with 142 votes.
Diri was believed to be the preferred candidate of the state governor , Seriake Dickson , for the Restoration Caucus in the state chapter of the PDP .
Prior to the voting , delegates were accredited at the Ijaw House on the Sani Abacha Expressway from where they were conveyed to the Dr . Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre .
The exercise was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) led the state Resident Electoral Commissioner ( REC ) , Monday Tom Udoh .
Ishaku said total votes cast were 1, 253 while total valid votes were 1 , 237 and a total of 16 invalid votes were recorded .
Ishaku , who declared Diri winner of the poll said he scored 561 votes to win the political contest .
“ I, therefore , by the authority conferred on me as the chairman of this gubernatorial primary election which took place today in Yenagoa ; the highest votes were scored by Senator Douye Diri .
“ He has the highest votes of 561 votes . I, therefore , declare him as the winner of this gubernatorial election , ” he said.
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