Former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has emerged victorious in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary election in Bayelsa State.

Amaechi defeated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen by a wide margin in the direct primary election conducted across the 105 wards in the state on Monday.

The former minister secured the highest number of votes across the eight local government areas of Bayelsa, polling a total of 44,404 votes. Atiku garnered 6,570 votes, while Hayatu-Deen trailed with 939 votes.

Announcing the results at the ADC Collation Centre in Yenagoa, on Tuesday, Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Committee in the state and Returning Officer, Commodore Promise Dappa (retd.) said the exercise recorded significant participation.

According to him, out of 56,356 registered voters, a total of 53,298 were accredited, while 51,913 votes were declared valid. He added that 1,785 votes were rejected.

Declaring the winner, Commodore Dappa, flanked by committee members and party leaders, said: “By the powers conferred on me as Chairman of the Presidential Primary Election in Bayelsa State and Returning Officer of the exercise, I hereby declare Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the winner of the ADC Presidential Primary Election in Bayelsa State, having polled the highest number of votes in the state.”