Ex-Bayelsa Speaker wins rerun poll

The former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson, who was sacked by the Court of Appeal, yesterday, retained his Southern Ijaw seat after winning a rerun poll.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the two assembly rerun elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Southern Ijaw 4 and Ekeremor 3 on Saturday.
Benson won in Southern Ijaw; Mr. Michael Ogbere clinched the Ekeremor seat.
Kombowei polled 10,033 votes to beat the candidates of All Progressives Congress, (APC), who got 2, 595 votes and Alliance for Democracy (AD), with 2,467 votes.
Declaring the Southern Ijaw 4 result, Returning Officer Dr. Bertola Perekeme said Benson satisfied the requirements to be declared winner.
In Ekeremor 3, Returning Officer Dr. Johnson Dagana said Mr. Michael Ogbere of the PDP won with 4,246 votes to defeat the DPP candidate, who polled 74 votes.
Ogbere also defeated the candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Victor Perezi, who went to court to annul the former election.
Perezi, who won the election in 2011 scored 45 votes.
Speaking on the election, Benson, said the nullification of his earlier election was regrettable and unnecessary.
He said: “What really beat my imagination was the fact that the Court of Appeal could deliver different judgments; one nullifying my election and the other dismissing the petition leading to our going back for elections. By the grace of God, we have won as expected and am happy we are back on stage”.
Benson insisted that he was a force to reckon with in the constituency, judging from the landslide victory recorded in the rerun.
On whether he would go back to the House to assume his duty as the Speaker, Benson, said: “It is not in my place to decide which office I hold”. The Nation