Declaring the result on Sunday, the Returning Officer, Prof. Elijah Ella, said Mathew polled a total of 10,508 votes to defeat the incumbent member and candidate of the PDP, Mr. Gideon Lucas Gwani, who came second, with 10,297 votes.
He said the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Benjamin Gugong, trailed with 9,919 votes, while that of the New Nigerian People’s Party, secured 5,354 votes to come third and fourth respectively.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after he was declared winner of the contest, the member-elect, Donatus Mathew, thanked the electorate for the confidence reposed on him to represent them at the Green Chamber.
While soliciting support and cooperation from the people, Mathew pledged to carry everyone along to achieve success.
In his reaction, the incumbent member who is also the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Gideon Gwani, congratulated the member-elect and wished him well.
He urged his supporters to remain calm and accept the will of the electorate, even as he noted that God gives and takes power to and from whomever he pleases at the appropriate time.
Our correspondent reports that the minority whip has been in the House of Representatives since 2003.
