Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has defeated his closest rival, Emmanuel Jime, at the Government House Makurdi polling unit.

Mr Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 124 votes to defeat Mr Jime of the All Progressive Congress who polled 108 votes.

The governor’s win at the polling unit is unprecedented as it has always been the tradition that the ruling party in the state cannot win the unit.

During the last presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari defeated Atiku Abubakar at the polling unit.

President Buhari defeated Mr Abubakar by a single vote as he polled 125 as against Mr Buhari’s 124.