Gabriel Pidomson, former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, has been declared the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate for Rivers State following a party primary election held across the state’s 23 local government areas. The announcement was made on Saturday night, May 22, 2026, after the collation of results at the ADC secretariat in Port Harcourt. Pidomson emerged victorious with 112,086 votes, securing the highest number of votes among six aspirants who contested the ticket.
The Chairman of the ADC Primary Election Committee in Rivers State, Hon. Carol Obaro, officially declared Pidomson the winner, stating that he met all constitutional and party requirements. “Therefore, the highest score here is 112,086 votes for Gabriel Pidomson. He has satisfied the requirements of the ADC and the constitution, scored the highest votes, and is hereby declared the winner of the primary election and returned elected as the ADC gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State this 22nd day of May, 2026,” Obaro announced. She added, “I, Hon. Carol Obaro, as Chairman of the Primary Election Committee in Rivers State, so declare.”
Other candidates in the race included Sokonte Davies, who came in second with 16,872 votes, and Farah Dagogo, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, who secured 2,369 votes. Leloonu Nwibubasa polled 1,476 votes, Henry Ogbonna received 546 votes, and Allen Ezekiel Hart garnered 268 votes. Seven aspirants had initially expressed interest in the governorship ticket, but only six participated in the primary election.
Prior to the primary, party leaders convened a meeting on Friday to explore a consensus arrangement that could avoid a full-scale election. Six of the seven aspirants attended the meeting, while Allen Ezekiel Hart was absent. Two candidates reportedly agreed to step down in favour of Pidomson, but others rejected the consensus plan and insisted on proceeding with the primary to determine their popularity. The meeting concluded around midnight or 1 a.m. on Friday, after which the primary election was held.
In his remarks after being declared winner, Pidomson commended his fellow aspirants for their conduct during the election, emphasizing that the party remained united despite the competition. His emergence as the ADC’s flagbearer marks a significant development in the party’s political strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections. The outcome sets the stage for a competitive gubernatorial race in Rivers State, with Pidomson now poised to represent the ADC in the upcoming polls.
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