By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The Accountant General of Rivers, Siminialayi Fubara, has clinched the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in the primary of the party conducted on Wednesday.

Fubara, who is believed to be the anointed candidate of Governor Nyesom Wike contested against 15 other aspirants in the primary.

The Accountant General who is from Opobo kingdom in Opobo Nkoro local government area of the State got 721 votes with closest challenger, Isaac Kamalu, scoring 86 votes.

Another aspirant, George Kelly got 37 votes while Felix Obuah, a former Chairman of PDP in Rivers polled only two votes.

Fubara emergence as the governorship candidate of PDP somehow fulfilled the yearnings of the proponents of power shift from from the upland part of Rivers to riverine areas where no governor has emerged since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. Governor.

However, Fubara is also be on “wanted list” of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over suspected financial malfeasance.

The primaries could not proceed in time due to the hearing of the case filed against the party by Farah Dagogo, the lawmaker representing Bonny-Degema federal who is currently in detention.

Also, before the commencement of voting at about 6:17 pm, electoral officers from the National secretariat of PDP had asked any aspirant who wishes to withdraw from the race to indicate so, but none of the aspirants took the microphone after the two minutes time given.

Fubara is going to square up with whoever emerges the winner of APC ticket which has been zone also to the riverine- Ijaw area of Rivers State.

Businessman oil magnate, Tonye Dele Cole has been tipped to fly the flag of APC, though there are some dissenting voices from some aspirants.