The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP the winner of the Enugu West Senatorial District.

learned that the PDP also won the two House of Representatives seats in the district.

The Returning Officer for the area, Professor Douglas Nwagbo, said Ekweremadu polled 86,088 voted ahead of his closest rival, Juliet Ibekaku-Nwaugwu, of the APC who got 15,187 votes.

“I must add that a total of 4,960 votes were rejected, making the total votes cast in the senatorial district to equal 114,889,” the Returning Officer said.

And in his reaction, Ekweremadu thanked the people of his district, his political party and his family, including friends and well-wishers for making it to the Senate for the fifth time.

He said: “I am not taking this election for granted, especially by the unprecedented nature of my election.

“This is the first time within this part of Nigeria that someone would be elected consecutively for five times into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It has never happened and I am not taking it for granted. I indeed feel very humbled and I give all the glory and thanks to the Almighty God who has made it possible.

“Recall that about a year ago, we went through a lot of storm for the major part of 2018 so nobody believed that a day like this will come where I will stand for an election and be declared winner. So, only God can make that possible.

“I must also thank my friends and associates, the great people of Enugu West, very industrious people, highly civilized people, highly accomplished people, very educated people, who in spite of the fact that I am just a little boy from Mpu, have given me this unprecedented opportunity.

“I would like to thank my family members for supporting me all the time and if you look at the last 48 hours, a lot of people have made a lot of commitment to ensure that this process is accomplished. So, I would like to thank the INEC officials for their commitment to our democracy, the security agents for their patience and professionalism.

“I would like to thank members of the press who have stood behind us to ensure that there is reportage for all that is going on in different parts of the country, it is not a small investment in our democracy.

“I believe that what is expected of us this time is to give back to the society that has given us this opportunity and those that have given us this confidence to ensure that this confidence is not misplaced. So a lot is lying on our shoulders. I would like to say clearly that we will not disappoint you.”