The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Matthew Urhoghide, representing Edo South Senatorial District, has won the ticket to return to the Senate.
Prof. Joseph Osewankhae, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, for the February 23 National Assembly election, declared Urhoghide winner in Benin on Tuesday, having scored the highest votes of 135, 588.
Osewankhae said Urhoghide defeated his closest opponent, Patrick Obahiagbon of the APC, who polled 121,957 votes in the election contested in seven local government areas that make up the district.
According to the returning officer, 8, 232 votes were cancelled at different units in Oredo, Ovia South West, Ovia North East and Uhunmwode local government areas due to irregularities.
He, however, said that a winner must be declared because the total cancelled votes were less than the margin between the winner and the next contestant.
“The PDP is leading the next contestant with 13, 631 votes, so we must declare a winner.
“Urhoghide, having scored the highest number of votes and satisfied all the requirements in this election is hereby declared winner and returned as elected,” he said.
The returning officer gave the total registered voters in the district as 1, 274, 485, total accredited voters as 291,548, valid votes as 266,109 and rejected votes as 18,457.
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