TheCable

Sheriff Oborevwori, speaker of the Delta house of assembly, has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in the state.

Oborevwori polled 590 votes to beat his closest rival, David Edevbie, commissioner for finance during the James Ibori administration, who polled 113 votes.

While Oborevwori is the preferred candidate of Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta governor, James Ibori, former governor, is said to be backing Edevbie.

Other governorship hopefuls and their vote counts include James Manager (83), Kingsley Otuaro, Delta deputy governor (9), Peter Mrakpor, former attorney-general (9), Fred Majemite (six), Ejaife Odebala (three), Abel Esievo (two), Braduce Angozi (two), Bright Onajefe-Gift (three), Chris Iyowaye (0), Lucky Idike (one), and Ikie Agbarianovwe (0).

Olorogun Gbagi, a former minister of education, who was also cleared by the party to contest, withdrew from the race.

Announcing the results on Wednesday, Ndubisi Nwobu, PDP returning officer, said a total of 824 delegates were accredited for the primary.

“By the power conferred on me as the party’s returning officer for the Delta state PDP governorship primary for 2023, I hereby declare Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori winner for scoring the highest number of votes in the election,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“Oborevwori scored a total of 590 out of 821 valid votes to emerge winner and he is hereby returned as the Delta PDP candidate for the 2023 general election.”

Meanwhile, shortly after the result was announced, Okowa and Oborevwori attended a thanksgiving service held at the government house chapel in Asaba, the Delta capital.