The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Gov. Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Akwa Ibom.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, who announced the result in Uyo on Monday, said that Gov. Emmanuel won in all the 31 local government areas of the state.

Orumwense said Emmanuel was re-elected governor having polled 519,712 votes. His main challenger, Mr Nsima Ekere of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 171,978 votes.

Mr Emmanuel Nwankpa of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 2547 votes and Mr Ekene Uzodinma of the United Peoples Party (UPP) polled 1,476 votes.

Orumwense said that there were 2,119,727 registered voters in the state, with 720,064 voters accredited. He said 696,245 valid votes were recorded, while 15,792 votes were declared void.

He noted that the election was keenly contested, saying that 50 political parties contested for the governorship election in the state.