By DOUGLAS OKORO

Sen. Obinna Ogba, representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, has won the rescheduled governorship primary election of the Ebonyi Chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The election was held on Sunday at the party’s secretariat in Abakaliki.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that accreditation of delegates and voting began around 8 p.m. on Sunday spilled over into the early hours of Monday.

Five hundred and thirteen delegates from the 171 wards of the 13 LGAs of the state took part in the primary election.

Chief Chris Okolo, Chairman of the Electoral Panel, said that Ogba polled 253 votes to emerge the winner.

According to him, Chief Edwin Nwonu, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ishielu/Ezza North Federal Constituency came second with 110 votes and Dr Sylvester Ogbaga, another member of the House of Representatives, came third with 63 votes.

Mr Fidelis Nwankwo garnered 44 votes; Chief Chukwuma Nwazunku, representing Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency polled six votes and Chief Austin Edeze secured three votes.

Sen. Paulinus Igwenwagu got two votes and Mr Augustine Nwazunku secured one vote.

Chief Ifeanyochukwu Odii, who boycotted the polls got one vote, while Mr Chris Usulor and Dr Sunday Opoke abstained.

The electoral chair said that 14 invalid ballots were recorded.

“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 agents,” Okolo said.

Meanwhile, Ogba, in his acceptance speech, extended his hand of fellowship to the other contestants and declared his victory as “victory for the PDP“.

He thanked the delegates, party members and leaders of PDP for entrusting him with their mandate to fly the party’s flag in the state governorship election in 2023.

He said: “I feel very happy, I 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.

“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.“

“Chief Tochukwu Okorie, PDP Chair, in a brief remark commended the party delegates for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the exercise.

He also commended the electoral panel for conducting a seamless, peaceful, transparent and credible exercise urging those who lost to team up to ensure victory for the party at the 2023 general elections.

NAN recalls that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP had in a letter dated May 31 addressed to the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled earlier primaries of the party in Ebonyi, including the gubernatorial.

The primary conducted between May 28 and May 29 by a faction led by Mr Silas Onu and which elected Odii as the governorship candidate was, however, boycotted by the Okorie faction. (NAN)

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