The Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer for Delta Central, Prof. Ezekiel Agbalagba, announced Dafinone as the winner at the INEC Collation Centre in Ughelli.
Agbalagba noted that Dafinone of the APC polled 109,197 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ighoyota Amori, who scored 101,385 votes to come second.
The INEC returning officer also announced that the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Peter Omaruaye, scored 17,523 to come a distant third, while the New Nigeria People’s Party polled 4,721 votes.
The other political parties with their votes are as follows SDP – 3,568; APM – 1,195; NRM – 728; ADP -1,341; A – 513; ADC – 3,517; YPP – 967; ZLP – 2,193 and AA -336.
The APC candidate, Joel Thomas, also emerged as the senator-elect for Delta South Senatorial District.
Thomas, former Chairman of Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, was officially declared winner of the election by the INEC Returning Officer for Delta South Senatorial election, Prof Peretimina Anthony, at the Otobo Hall, Delta South Collation Centre in Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area.
Thomas defeated Mr. Michael Diden of the PDP and the candidate of NNPP, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (retd), to emerge victorious at the polls.
The returning officer, while announcing the results, stated that the APC candidate polled a total of 49,955 votes while his closest rival, Hon Michael Diden of the PDP got 47,656 votes.
The INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Peretimina Anthony, declared Thomas as the duly elected senator-elect for the constituency.
