Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been declared winner of the rerun election for Abia North senatorial zone held yesterday. He polled 26,009 votes to beat the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) candidate, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, who scored 25,814 votes.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief David Onuoha (Bourdex), came third with 13,633 votes, leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nnenna Lancaster Okoro, in distant fourth position with a paltry 916 votes.

The Labour Party secured 147 votes while the United Peoples Party (UPP) is last with 117 votes.

The Returning Officer, Dr. Nwankwo Iheke Nduka, had at about 7am declared the exercise inconclusive based on the fact that about 62,000 registered voters did not vote. But when he returned to the State INEC Headquarters in Umuahia, he was ordered to go and announce the results since a simple majority confers victory on the leading candidate.

•Photo shows Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.