The lawmaker representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, Senator Obinna Ogba, in the early hours of Monday won the governorship primary election of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi state.
The election processes which commenced at about 8pm on Sunday lasted till 1:45 am at the party secretariat in Abakaliki.
Declaring Ogba the winner, Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Chris Okolo, noted that 513 delegates from the 171 wards of the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state participated in the elections, out if which Ogba won with a total of 253.
He said, “513 delegates from the 171 wards of the 14 LGA’s in Ebonyi participated, Ifeanyi Odii scored 1 vote, Dr Nwazunku Augustin scored 1 vote, Igwe Paulinus 2 votes, Austin Edeze 3 votes, Hon. Nwazunku Chukwuma 6 votes, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga 63 votes, Hon Edwin Anayo 110 votes, Fidelis Nwankwo 44 votes, Sen. Obinna Ogba 253 votes, void votes 14.
“Out of the 13 aspirants for the governorship position, Engr. Sunday Opoke, Chukwuma Odii, and Hon. Chris Usulor were absente.
“I, Mr. Chris Okolo, having been conferred with the power to chair this panel hereby declare Sen. Obinna Ogba winner having polled the total highest number of valid votes and having met all the requirements for the election and he is hereby returned elected.
“The exercise was counted openly and witnessed by agents of the aspirants, leaders of the party present, as well as security agent”.
However, Ogba, in his acceptance speech, thanked the delegates, party members, and leaders of PDP for giving him the mandate to fly the party’s flag in the state governorship election in 2023.
“I feel very happy, first of all, I have to thank the Almighty God who made the event very successful; I thank all our party members for finding me worthy to fly the flag of our great party, the PDP.
“My special thanks go to the leadership of the party in Ebonyi state, especially to Senator Anyim Puis Anyim, Dr. Sam Egwu, chairman of my party Tochukwu Okorie and a host of others.
“To my fellow contestants, I extend my hand of fellowship to them; this is a sport and one person must win and I call on them to come and join me so that we can take our party to the highest level,“ he said.
On his part, Ebonyi state PDP Chair, Tochukwu Okorie, filled with joy commended the party delegates for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the exercise.