# 2019 Delta State gubernatorial election

The 2019 Delta State gubernatorial election occurred on March 9, 2019. Incumbent PDP Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa won re-election for a second term, defeating APC's Great Ovedje Ogboru, and several minor party candidates.
Okowa won in 23 LGAs with a total of 80.17% of popular vote, while Ogboru won in the other two of the state's 25 LGAs with a total of 18.71% of popular vote having 709,336 votes less than Okowa.
Ifeanyi Okowa emerged unopposed in the PDP gubernatorial primary as the sole candidate, retaining his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro.
Of the 50 candidates who aspired for the governorship seat, 42 were male, eight were female.

## Electoral system

The Governor of Delta State is elected using the plurality voting system.

## Primary election
### PDP primary

The PDP primary election was held on 30 September 2018. Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor, who was the party sole aspirant, emerged winner with 3,252 delegate votes. The chairperson of the PDP gubernatorial primary elections in Delta State announced there were 3,278 accredited delegates from across the state's local government areas, who cast 26 invalid votes.

### Candidates

* Party nominee: Ifeanyi Okowa: Incumbent governor.
* Running mate: Kingsley Otuaro.

### APC primary

The emergence of Chief Great Ogboru and Prof. Pat Utomi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2019 Delta State governorship candidates got messy, as the APC primary elections could not be held in a single venue but ran concurrently in two locations in Asaba. This crisis began early in the month of the elections. The elections returning officer at one venue announced Pat Utomi as the winner with 2,481 votes out of the 3,755 total delegate votes, followed by Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Dr. Cairo Ojougbuoh and Chief Great Ogboru, respectively. Great Ovedje Ogboru was, however, declared winner by the returning officer at the second venue, and said to have polled 3,292 votes of 3,515 valid votes; 129 votes were declared invalid. Ochei polled 160 votes, Utomi 26 votes and Ojougbuoh 12 votes. The elections were held on 30 September 2018.
After the elections were concluded, BusinessDay reported one of the candidates, Hon. Victor Ochei, taking the said winner to the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to nullify the results, which were nullified in April 2019.

### Candidates

* Party nominee: Great Ogboru.
* Running mate: .
* Pat Utomi: 1st Runner-up
* Victor Ochei: 2nd Runner-up
* Cairo Ojougbuoh: 3rd Runner-up

## Results

A total of 50 candidates registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest in the election. PDP Governor Ifeanyi Okowa won re-election for a second term, defeating APC's Great Ovedje Ogboru, and several minor party candidates. Okowa polled 925,274 votes representing 80.17% of total vote cast, and Ogboru 215,938 votes representing 18.71%.
The total number of registered voters in the state was 2,831,205 while 1,188,784 voters were accredited. Total number of votes cast was 1,178,335, while total number of valid votes was 1,154,188. Total rejected votes were 24,147.
| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| | Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa | People's Democratic Party (PDP) | 925,274 | 80.17 |
| | Great Ovedje Ogboru | All Progressives Congress (APC) | 215,938 | 18.71 |
| | Chukwu Prince Joe | African Democratic Congress (ADC) | 2,032 | 0.18 |
| | Richard Kimeku | Democratic People's Party (DPP) | 1,185 | 0.10 |
| | Akwara John Ogheneovo | Social Democratic Party (SDP) | 1,136 | 0.10 |
| | Ashikodi David | Accord (A) | 1,027 | 0.09 |
| | Mohammed Oluremi Jane Batsone | People for Democratic Change (PDC) | 1,001 | 0.09 |
| | Frank Ufuoma Esanobi | African Action Congress (AAC) | 914 | 0.08 |
| | Obire Odiakpo Justine | Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) | 549 | 0.05 |
| | Odibo Golly Hannah Atata | Advanced Congress of Democracts (ACD) | 429 | 0.04 |
| | Edward Okiya | Labour Party (LP) | 411 | 0.04 |
| | Onikiti Helen | Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) | 331 | 0.03 |
| | Ajaguogbadim Joshua Patrick Chidinma | United Progressive Party (UPP) | 321 | 0.03 |
| | Augustine Chukwuemeka Obi | Re-build Nigeria Party (RBNP) | 294 | 0.03 |
| | Gabriel Mamuzo | Nigeria People's Congress (NPC) | 284 | 0.02 |
| | Brando Omu | All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP) | 275 | 0.02 |
| | Monu-Olarewaju Theodora Chime | Advanced Allied Party (AAP) | 258 | 0.02 |
| | Michael Egoh | Action Democratic Party (ADP) | 228 | 0.02 |
| | Ejumedia Prince Sunny | Hope Democratic Party (HDP) | 224 | 0.02 |
| | Illoh Awele Onyisi | Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) | 183 | 0.02 |
| | Enwose Williams B. N. | Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) | 180 | 0.02 |
| | Isamade Paul | Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) | 162 | 0.01 |
| | Victor Egwuenu | People's Party of Nigeria (PPN) | 134 | 0.01 |
| | Godwin Mojume Asikawali | Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP) | 115 | 0.01 |
| | America Emmanuel Ogheneochuko | National Rescue Movement (NRM) | 110 | 0.01 |
| | Gordson Korogha Enhubareh | National Conscience Party (NCP) | 100 | 0.01 |
| | Bidokwu Emeka | Action Alliance (AA) | 98 | 0.01 |
| | Cosmos Annabel | Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) | 92 | 0.01 |
| | Umudjane Sylvester Omonigho | Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) | 95 | 0.01 |
| | Lucky Dikadi | People's Redemption Party (PRP) | 83 | 0.01 |
| | Amaye John Oghenemohwo | Allied Peoples Movement (APM) | 70 | 0.01 |
| | Ossai Edward Olie | Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN) | 61 | 0.01 |
| | Ejiro Odu Tolbert | National Interest Party (NIP) | 59 | 0.01 |
| | Friday Udumebraye Togbe | Sustainable National Party (SNP) | 51 | 0.00 |
| | Jean Chiazor Anishere | People's Trust (PT) | 49 | 0.00 |
| | Olotu Stanley Omohwo | Reformed Advanced Party (RAP) | 46 | 0.00 |
| | Efetoboh Patricia | National Action Council (NAC) | 41 | 0.00 |
| | Iselegwu Clement | Restoration Party of Nigeria (RP) | 39 | 0.00 |
| | Nkwoala Emeka Mathias | Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) | 38 | 0.00 |
| | Obiodogwu Augustine | Democratic Alternative (DA) | 33 | 0.00 |
| | Okolugbo Gloria | Change Advocacy Party (CAP) | 30 | 0.00 |
| | Anthony Mejebi Clarke | Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) | 29 | 0.00 |
| | Edozien Leroy Chuma | Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD) | 25 | 0.00 |
| | Anyiraodiakaose Nelly | Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP) | 25 | 0.00 |
| | Enuakpoje Peters Erho | Independent Democrats (ID) | 31 | 0.00 |
| | Oghotevwo Lucky Oyovwi | Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD) | 25 | 0.00 |
| | Atagbuzia Chibueze Sixtus | Kowa Party (KP) | 22 | 0.00 |
| | Endurance Udubrai Eddy | National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP) | 21 | 0.00 |
| | Okotcha Odinma Eric | Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) | 15 | 0.00 |
| | Obichie David Egwebuike | Nigeria for Democracy (NFD) | 15 | 0.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,154,188 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,154,188 | 97.95 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 24,147 | 2.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,178,335 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 2,831,205 | 41.62 |
| Source: INEC |||||

### By local government area

Here are the results of the election from the local government areas of the state for the two major parties. The total valid votes of 1,154,188 represents the 50 political parties that participated in the election. Green represents LGAs won by Okowa. Blue represents LGAs won by Ogboru.
| County (LGA) | Ifeanyi Okowa PDP | Ifeanyi Okowa PDP | Great Ogboru APC | Great Ogboru APC | Total Votes |
| County (LGA) | # | % | # | % | # |
| Aniocha North | 17,054 | | 4,653 | | |
| Aniocha South | 20,947 | | 3,138 | | |
| Bomadi | 63,851 | | 4,437 | | |
| Burutu | 49,722 | | 4,437 | | |
| Ethiope East | 11,489 | | 21,141 | | |
| Ethiope West | 62,044 | | 6,211 | | |
| Ika North-East | 67,417 | | 2,303 | | |
| Ika South | 33,371 | | 3,877 | | |
| Isoko North | 29,648 | | 9,817 | | |
| Isoko South | 43,730 | | 14,259 | | |
| Ndokwa East | 30,670 | | 4,306 | | |
| Ndokwa West | 30,971 | | 5,722 | | |
| Okpe | 20,415 | | 9,424 | | |
| Oshimili North | 37,744 | | 2,906 | | |
| Oshimili South | 54,766 | | 2,700 | | |
| Patani | 19,683 | | 3,288 | | |
| Sapele | 18,572 | | 10,457 | | |
| Udu | 9,042 | | 8,605 | | |
| Ughelli North | 19,045 | | 22,081 | | |
| Ughelli South | 32,086 | | 20,233 | | |
| Ukwuani | 18,328 | | 7,264 | | |
| Uvwie | 15,454 | | 10,467 | | |
| Warri North | 44,713 | | 11,116 | | |
| Warri South | 34,977 | | 12,982 | | |
| Warri South West | 139,534 | | 10,906 | | |
| Totals | | | | | - |