2019 Delta State gubernatorial election

2019 Delta State gubernatorial election

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Turnout	41.62%
Nominee Ifeanyi Okowa Great Ogboru Party PDP APC Running mate Kingsley Otuaro Popular vote 925,274 215,938 Percentage 80.17% 18.71%
Governor before election Ifeanyi Okowa PDP Elected Governor Ifeanyi Okowa PDP

The 2019 Delta State gubernatorial election occurred on March 9, 2019. Incumbent PDP Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa won re-election for a second term, defeating APC's Great Ovedje Ogboru, and several minor party candidates. ^[1]

Okowa won in 23 LGAs with a total of 80.17% of popular vote, while Ogboru won in the other two of the state's 25 LGAs with a total of 18.71% of popular vote having 709,336 votes less than Okowa. ^{[2] [3]}

Ifeanyi Okowa emerged unopposed in the PDP gubernatorial primary as the sole candidate, retaining his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro. ^{[4] [5]}

Of the 50 candidates who aspired for the governorship seat, 42 were male, eight were female. ^[6]

Electoral system

The Governor of Delta State is elected using the plurality voting system.

Primary election

PDP primary

The PDP primary election was held on 30 September 2018. Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor, who was the party sole aspirant, ^[7] emerged winner with 3,252 delegate votes. The chairperson of the PDP gubernatorial primary elections in Delta State announced there were 3,278 accredited delegates from across the state's local government areas, who cast 26 invalid votes. ^{[8] [9]}

Candidates

• Party nominee: Ifeanyi Okowa : Incumbent governor.
• Running mate: Kingsley Otuaro .

APC primary

The emergence of Chief Great Ogboru and Prof. Pat Utomi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2019 Delta State governorship candidates got messy, as the APC primary elections could not be held in a single venue but ran concurrently in two locations in Asaba. This crisis began early in the month of the elections. ^{[10] [11]} The elections returning officer at one venue announced Pat Utomi as the winner with 2,481 votes out of the 3,755 total delegate votes, followed by Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Dr. Cairo Ojougbuoh and Chief Great Ogboru, respectively. ^[12] Great Ovedje Ogboru was, however, declared winner by the returning officer at the second venue, and said to have polled 3,292 votes of 3,515 valid votes; 129 votes were declared invalid. Ochei polled 160 votes, Utomi 26 votes and Ojougbuoh 12 votes. ^{[13] [14] [15] [16]} The elections were held on 30 September 2018. ^{[17] [18]}

After the elections were concluded, BusinessDay reported one of the candidates, Hon. Victor Ochei, taking the said winner to the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to nullify the results, ^[19] which were nullified in April 2019. ^{[20] [21] [22]}

Candidates

• Party nominee: Great Ogboru .
• Running mate: .
• Pat Utomi: 1st Runner-up
• Victor Ochei: 2nd Runner-up
• Cairo Ojougbuoh: 3rd Runner-up

Results

A total of 50 candidates registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest in the election. ^[6] PDP Governor Ifeanyi Okowa won re-election for a second term, defeating APC's Great Ovedje Ogboru, and several minor party candidates. ^[23] Okowa polled 925,274 votes representing 80.17% of total vote cast, and Ogboru 215,938 votes representing 18.71%. ^[24]

The total number of registered voters in the state was 2,831,205 while 1,188,784 voters were accredited. Total number of votes cast was 1,178,335, while total number of valid votes was 1,154,188. Total rejected votes were 24,147. ^{[2] [25]}

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa	People's Democratic Party (PDP)	925,274	80.17
	Great Ovedje Ogboru	All Progressives Congress (APC)	215,938	18.71
	Chukwu Prince Joe	African Democratic Congress (ADC)	2,032	0.18
	Richard Kimeku	Democratic People's Party (DPP)	1,185	0.10
	Akwara John Ogheneovo	Social Democratic Party (SDP)	1,136	0.10
	Ashikodi David	Accord (A)	1,027	0.09
	Mohammed Oluremi Jane Batsone	People for Democratic Change (PDC)	1,001	0.09
	Frank Ufuoma Esanobi	African Action Congress (AAC)	914	0.08
	Obire Odiakpo Justine	Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA)	549	0.05
	Odibo Golly Hannah Atata	Advanced Congress of Democracts (ACD)	429	0.04
	Edward Okiya	Labour Party (LP)	411	0.04
	Onikiti Helen	Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA)	331	0.03
	Ajaguogbadim Joshua Patrick Chidinma	United Progressive Party (UPP)	321	0.03
	Augustine Chukwuemeka Obi	Re-build Nigeria Party (RBNP)	294	0.03
	Gabriel Mamuzo	Nigeria People's Congress (NPC)	284	0.02
	Brando Omu	All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP)	275	0.02
	Monu-Olarewaju Theodora Chime	Advanced Allied Party (AAP)	258	0.02
	Michael Egoh	Action Democratic Party (ADP)	228	0.02
	Ejumedia Prince Sunny	Hope Democratic Party (HDP)	224	0.02
	Illoh Awele Onyisi	Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN)	183	0.02
	Enwose Williams B. N.	Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)	180	0.02
	Isamade Paul	Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN)	162	0.01
	Victor Egwuenu	People's Party of Nigeria (PPN)	134	0.01
	Godwin Mojume Asikawali	Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP)	115	0.01
	America Emmanuel Ogheneochuko	National Rescue Movement (NRM)	110	0.01
	Gordson Korogha Enhubareh	National Conscience Party (NCP)	100	0.01
	Bidokwu Emeka	Action Alliance (AA)	98	0.01
	Cosmos Annabel	Association for Better Nigeria (ABN)	92	0.01
	Umudjane Sylvester Omonigho	Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP)	95	0.01
	Lucky Dikadi	People's Redemption Party (PRP)	83	0.01
	Amaye John Oghenemohwo	Allied Peoples Movement (APM)	70	0.01
	Ossai Edward Olie	Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN)	61	0.01
	Ejiro Odu Tolbert	National Interest Party (NIP)	59	0.01
	Friday Udumebraye Togbe	Sustainable National Party (SNP)	51	0.00
	Jean Chiazor Anishere	People's Trust (PT)	49	0.00
	Olotu Stanley Omohwo	Reformed Advanced Party (RAP)	46	0.00
	Efetoboh Patricia	National Action Council (NAC)	41	0.00
	Iselegwu Clement	Restoration Party of Nigeria (RP)	39	0.00
	Nkwoala Emeka Mathias	Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)	38	0.00
	Obiodogwu Augustine	Democratic Alternative (DA)	33	0.00
	Okolugbo Gloria	Change Advocacy Party (CAP)	30	0.00
	Anthony Mejebi Clarke	Green Party of Nigeria (GPN)	29	0.00
	Edozien Leroy Chuma	Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD)	25	0.00
	Anyiraodiakaose Nelly	Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP)	25	0.00
	Enuakpoje Peters Erho	Independent Democrats (ID)	31	0.00
	Oghotevwo Lucky Oyovwi	Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD)	25	0.00
	Atagbuzia Chibueze Sixtus	Kowa Party (KP)	22	0.00
	Endurance Udubrai Eddy	National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP)	21	0.00
	Okotcha Odinma Eric	Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA)	15	0.00
	Obichie David Egwebuike	Nigeria for Democracy (NFD)	15	0.00
Total			1,154,188	100.00
Valid votes			1,154,188	97.95
Invalid/blank votes			24,147	2.05
Total votes			1,178,335	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			2,831,205	41.62
Source: INEC [6]

By local government area

Here are the results of the election from the local government areas of the state for the two major parties. The total valid votes of 1,154,188 represents the 50 political parties that participated in the election. Green represents LGAs won by Okowa. Blue represents LGAs won by Ogboru. ^{[26] [6] [27] [28] [29]}

County (LGA)	Ifeanyi Okowa PDP		Great Ogboru APC		Total Votes
	#	%	#	%	#
Aniocha North	17,054		4,653
Aniocha South	20,947		3,138
Bomadi	63,851		4,437
Burutu	49,722		4,437
Ethiope East	11,489		21,141
Ethiope West	62,044		6,211
Ika North-East	67,417		2,303
Ika South	33,371		3,877
Isoko North	29,648		9,817
Isoko South	43,730		14,259
Ndokwa East	30,670		4,306
Ndokwa West	30,971		5,722
Okpe	20,415		9,424
Oshimili North	37,744		2,906
Oshimili South	54,766		2,700
Patani	19,683		3,288
Sapele	18,572		10,457
Udu	9,042		8,605
Ughelli North	19,045		22,081
Ughelli South	32,086		20,233
Ukwuani	18,328		7,264
Uvwie	15,454		10,467
Warri North	44,713		11,116
Warri South	34,977		12,982
Warri South West	139,534		10,906
Totals					-

References

1. "Okowa speaks on victory, assures of greater development of Delta state". Premium Times. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
2. Onabu, Omon-Julius in (March 11, 2019). "Okowa Wins, Declared Delta Governor elect". Asaba: This Day. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
3. "Gov poll: Okowa wins in Delta". Punch. March 11, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
4. Ukwu, Jerrywright. "2019: Governor Okowa emerges Delta PDP guber flag bearer, retains deputy". Legit.ng. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
5. Emmanuel, Odang (October 8, 2020). "State Governors and Their Deputies". Rainbow Nigeria. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
6. "2019 Governorship Elections Results". INEC. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
7. Onojeghen, Theophilus (September 30, 2018). "Tight security as Okowa, Ibori, others attend PDP gov primary in Delta". Warri: Punch. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
8. "Okowa emerges Delta PDP guber flag Bearer". Asaba: Vanguard. September 30, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
9. "Governor Okowa emerges Delta PDP governorship flagbearer, chooses running mate". Premium Times. September 30, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
10. "Ogboru/Omo-Agege Faction Rejects Direct Primaries In Delta APC". New York: Sahara Reporters . Retrieved March 31, 2021.
11. Neme, Sony (September 23, 2018). "Delta 2019: APC gambles with direct, indirect primaries". Asaba: Guardian. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
12. Jonathan, Zovoe (October 1, 2018). "declares Pat Utomi gov candidate". Punch. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
13. "Crises Persist as APC, PDP Round off Gov Primaries". This Day Live. October 2, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
14. Ahon, Festus (October 1, 2018). "Breaking: Ogboru leads in Delta APC governorship primary". Vanguard. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
15. Ahon, Festus (October 1, 2018). "2019: Ogboru clinches Delta APC guber ticket". Vanguard. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
16. "2019 Election: Confam list of APC Govnorship candidates" (in Nigerian Pidgin). BBC News. October 5, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
17. Ogundipe, Samuel (September 30, 2018). "LIVE UPDATES: APC holds governorship primaries in 27 states". Premium Times. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
18. Ogundipe, Samuel (September 30, 2018). "Pat Utomi cries foul, demands postponement of Delta APC primaries". Premium Times. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
19. "Delta APC governorship primary: Ogboru to know fate December 4". BusinessDay. November 13, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
20. Orusi, Kenneth (April 4, 2019). "Court Nullifies Delta APC Governorship Primaries". Asaba: The Nigerian Voice. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
21. Omotayo, Joseph (April 4, 2019). "Breaking: Court nullifies APC flag-bearer Ogboru's candidacy". Legit.ng. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
22. "Delta guber: More trouble for Ogboru as court quashes APC primary election". Sun News Online. April 4, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
23. "Okowa Re-Elected As Delta State Governor". Channels TV. March 11, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
24. "Court sacks Delta APC faction, disqualifies Ogboru as governorship candidate". Premium Times. March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
25. "Just Like In 2015, Okowa Mauls Great Ogboru To Win Delta Governorship Election". New York City: Sahara Reporters. March 11, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
26. Adegun, Aanu. "Breaking: PDP wins Delta state governorship election". Legit.ng. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
27. Sadhere, Francis (March 10, 2019). "Delta Poll: Okowa wins 12 LGAs so far, Ogboru 1". Warri: Business Day. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
28. "Updates: Governorship Election Results For Delta". Channels TV . Retrieved March 11, 2021.
29. "Okowa leads in 15 LGs in Delta Guber polls". Vanguard. March 10, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2021.