Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central) has won the governorship primary rerun of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held on Sunday at the party’s secretariat in Abakaliki.
The accreditation of delegates and voting began about 8pm and ran into the early hours of yesterday.
About 513 delegates from the 171 wards of the 13 local government areas took part in the rerun.
Chairman of the Electoral Panel Chief Chris Okolo said Ogba polled 253 votes to win the election. According to him, Edwin Nwonu, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ishielu/Ezza North Federal Constituency, came second with 110 votes, while Sylvester Ogbaga, another House of Representatives member, came third with 63 votes.
He added: “Fidelis Nwankwo got 44 votes, Chukwuma Nwazunku, representing Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency polled six votes and Austin Edeze secured three votes. Senator Paulinus Igwenwagu got two votes and Augustine Nwazunku secured one vote. Ifeanyichukwu Odii got one vote, while Chris Usulor and Sunday Opoke abstained. 14 invalid ballots were recorded.
“I, Chris Okolo, conferred with the power to chair this panel, hereby declare Senator Obinna Ogba winner having polled the highest number of valid votes and meeting all the requirements for the election, he is hereby returned elected.
“The exercise was counted openly and witnessed by agents of the aspirants, party leaders, as well as security agents.”
Ogba, in his acceptance speech, extended his hand of fellowship to other contestants and declared his victory as ‘victory for the PDP’. He thanked the delegates, party members and leaders for entrusting him with their mandate to fly the party’s flag in the 2023 election.
He said: “I feel very happy and I thank God who made the event very successful. To my fellow contestants, I extend my hand of fellowship to them; this is a sport and one person must win. I call on them to join me so we can take our party to the highest level.”
Party Chairman Tochukwu Okorie hailed the delegates for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the exercise. He also commended the electoral panel for conducting a seamless and credible exercise, and urged those who lost to team up to ensure victory for the party in 2023.
The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had annulled the May 28-29 primaries held by the Silas Onu faction.