The pendulum will swing in favour of Okezie Ikpeazu of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the outstanding result of the Abia State governorship election is announced, News Express can report, based on our deep knowledge of the voting pattern of the five remaining local governments. The ballot became stalemated following a dispute over returns from Ikpeazu’s Ngwa stronghold.

Of the 12 local governments so far declared, Ikpeazu has won six, with Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winning the other six.

The stalemate arose when APGA raised strong objection to the announcement of results from Osisioma, Obingwa and Isiala Ngwa North, leading to the Collating Officer’s decision to cancel them due to violence and electoral malpractice. This, however, did not go down well with PDP, which insisted on the acceptance of the results but with the cancellation of specific polling units where there was confirmed violence and ballot box snatching.

After a visit to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Governor Theodore Orji, the Collating Officer announced that the Ngwa results would be announced but with cancellation of 29 polling units where troubled was recorded. Thereafter, the Osisioma result was announced and was won by Ikpeazu, thus giving him a total of 127,456 as against 105,795 for Otti.

APGA, however, strongly resisted attempts to proceed with results from Obingwa and Isiala Ngwa North. Apart from these two, results from Aba South, Ohafia and Ikwuano local governments are still pending.

Based on the voting pattern of these areas, Aba South and Ohafia will most likely be won by Otti while Obingwa, Isiala Ngwa North and Ikwuano would likely go to Ikpeazu, thus clinching victory for him.

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