By Adesakin Adefemi
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olaka Nwogu, winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District bye-election held on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
INEC Returning Officer, Professor Rosemary Ogu, announced the result at the Rivers South East Senatorial Collation Centre in the Khana Local Government Council Secretariat, Bori, Rivers State, on Saturday night.
According to Professor Ogu, Nwogu Olaka Johnson of the PDP secured 46,961 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Osarokaka Ebenezer Erewari of the All Progressives Congress, who polled 1,647 votes.
The returning officer stated that Nwogu, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had satisfied all requirements of the law and was accordingly declared elected as Senator representing Rivers South East.
Other candidates in the contest were Douglass Fabeke of the Action Alliance with 1,175 votes, and Sam Kinani of the Labour Party with 367 votes. Only four political parties were cleared by INEC to contest the election.
The bye-election was conducted across seven local government areas that make up the senatorial district: Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme, Andoni, Oyigbo and Opobo. The seat became vacant following the death of Senator Barry Mpigi in February this year.
Professor Ogu confirmed that the election was keenly contested and results were collated and announced transparently at the centre. She said Nwogu’s margin of victory reflected overwhelming support from voters across the district.
INEC also addressed technical hitches recorded with the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System during the poll. The Head of Department, Voter Education, Geraldine Ekelemo, said backup B-VAS machines were provided and technical staff were deployed to reconfigure devices where necessary.
Ekelemo explained that each of the seven LGAs had additional B-VAS units as backups to close gaps quickly. She added that INEC remains committed to ensuring smooth accreditation and credible outcomes in future elections as the commission continues to improve its technology.
