By Ayo Kehinde
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the Khana Constituency II and Ahoada East Constituency II by-elections held on Saturday in Rivers State.
In Khana Constituency II, INEC returned Bulabari Henrietta Loolo of the APC as the winner after she polled a total of 7,647 votes to secure a clear victory.
The official results showed that the Action Alliance (AA) scored 46 votes, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) garnered 37 votes, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) recorded 23 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 47 votes.
Similarly, INEC declared Napoleon Ukalikpe of the APC winner of the Ahoada East Constituency II by-election after he emerged with 3,980 votes at the end of collation at the constituency collation centre.
Other parties trailed far behind, with the Action Alliance (AA) polling 33 votes, Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM/APN) 38 votes, Boot Party (BP) 11 votes, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) seven votes, Young Progressives Party (YPP) seven votes, and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) six votes.
INEC noted that the Ahoada East Constituency II by-election was conducted without the participation of two major opposition parties—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), both of which failed to submit candidates for the exercise.
Officials of the electoral umpire said both by-elections were conducted in line with electoral guidelines, with adequate deployment of security personnel to polling units. According to INEC, voting and collation processes in the two constituencies were largely peaceful and concluded without major incidents.
With the declarations, Bulabari Henrietta Loolo and Napoleon Ukalikpe are expected to be issued Certificates of Return, paving the way for their inauguration into the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent their respective constituencies.
