By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Terwase Uche has been declared winner of the Guma 1 State Constituency bye-election held Saturday in Benue state.

Mr. Uche was declared winner of the poll  by the Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Julius Ikya in Daudu, after garnering a total of 5,289 votes to defeat his closest rival, Jimmy Geoffrey of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who polled 4,134 votes.

Also, the Labour Party, LP, candidate scored 2,833 votes, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, polled 121, while the African Democratic Congress, ADC, got 72 votes.

Recall that it was only the five listed political parties that fielded candidates in the election which was held in six Council Wards of Guma Local Government Area of the state.

The election which was largely peaceful and without hitches however witnessed law voter turnout.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Benue State, Prof  Sam Egwu who was on ground to monitor the exercise alongside officials of the commission had promised that measures were put in place to ensure a free, fair, and transparent exercise in the Constituency.

The Police Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Adesina also assured that the exercise would be conducted without any form of security threat.