Nigeria, Nov. 18 -- Before contesting the Bayelsa governorship election, David Perewonrimi Lyon was literally unknown to politics. He owned a security firm and held no known government position.

But on Sunday, after a keenly fought election that local and international observers say was fraught with irregularities and violence, INEC declared the All Progressives Congress candidate governor-elect of the Niger Delta state, ending the Peoples Democratic Party's 20-year reign.

The electoral body said Mr Lyon scored a total of 352, 552 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Duoye Diri, who had 143, 172 votes.

He swept six of the eight local governments in the state.

"That Lyon David of APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby ...