Obinna Ogba, the senator representing Ebonyi Central senatorial zone, has won the rescheduled governorship primary election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi.

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

The accreditation of delegates and voting began around 8:00 p.m. on Sunday and spilled over into the early hours of Monday.

Five hundred and thirteen delegates from the 171 wards of the 13 local government areas took part in the primary election.

Chris Okolo, chairman of the PDP electoral panel, said that Mr Ogba polled 253 votes to emerge the winner.

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

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

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

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

The electoral chair added that 14 invalid ballots were recorded.

“I, Mr Chris Okolo, having been conferred with the power to chair this panel hereby declare Senator 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,” declared Mr Okolo. “The exercise was counted openly and witnessed by agents of the aspirants, leaders of the party present, as well as security agents.”

“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,” said Mr Ogba in his acceptance speech.

The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had in a letter dated May 31 addressed to the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled previous primaries of the party in Ebonyi, including the gubernatorial.

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

(NAN)