Makarfi beats Sheriff to Delta State as Daibo of Accord Party wins Warri by-election

The Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) showed its supremacy over the Ali Modu Sheriff faction when the PDP candidate was defeated in the just concluded Warri South 1 State constituency by-election.

PDP officially represented by Sheriff fielded Mr. Ojere Edeyibo while the Ahmed faction, whi0-ch firmly controls the structure of PDP in the state, The Guardian learnt, put forward Princess (Mrs.) Shola Ogbemi Daibo who contested under the platform of Accord Party submitted.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Daibo of Accord Party winner of the Warri South Constituency 1 by-election into the Delta State House of Assembly.

The INEC’s local government collation returning officer, Mr. Olatunbosun Odusanya declared the result late Wednesday night.

Sources confirmed that the PDP structure in the state led by the governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; the immediate past governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; the deputy governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro; the state party chairman, Mr. Kingsley Esiso; elected and party leaders form Delta South and Warri Federal constituency, moved into Warri prior to the election, to ensure the victory of Daibo.

The victory effectively showed that Makarfi’s faction is in control of the state chapter of the party. Besides, the outcome indicates that the APC still has a long way to go to assert it self in the state.
The PDP in the state has on several occasions used the Accord party to field candidates for legislative elections whenever it is frustrated by the national secretariat.

No less than five of such candidates contested in the 2007 elections including Senator Patrick Osakwe who beat Mrs. Mariam Ali to the Delta North Senatorial seat in his reelection bid.

The by-election was conducted to fill the vacant seat in the State Assembly following the death of Mrs. Omawumi Udoh, who represented the constituency till late last year when she passed away.

Figure released late Wednesday night showed that the Accord Party polled 5, 546 votes with majority of the votes coming from the riverine and rural areas of the council, to defeat Prince Stanley Emiko of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored a total of 2,010 votes.

The election, which was generally peaceful, was marked by low voters turnout, inter party skirmishes and alleged coercion of voters.

There were also alleged reports of disturbances and rigging at Omadino, Ifie, Egbokodo and Ibeji areas with claims of some hoodlums carrying dangerous weapons purportedly barring party agents of other parties from monitoring the election in the area.

The APC candidate Prince Emiko however urged his supporters to remain calm saying: “I’m in consultation with the leadership of my party to determine the next line of action.”

Election materials left the Nana Model College Coalition Centre before 9:00am to the various polling units under the protection of police units and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner, South-South Zone, Dr. Lecky Mohammed decried the low turn out of electorates in the election.

The INEC Chief, who visited some areas in the constituency comprising ninety-three polling units, blamed the media for poor sensitization of the people at the grassroots.

He observed that party agents in Ward 4 were not accredited for the election stressing, “It is a challenge. But they resisted. We hope the turn out will improve before the end of the election.”

Mohammed who adjudged the election to be very peaceful in the various polling Units monitored so far, called on the electorates to be calm when the final result is announced.