From Emmanuel Uzor, Abakaliki
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday swept the council polls across the 13 local government areas and 171 wards for chairmanship and councillorship elections in Ebonyi State.
Declaring the results in Abakaliki, the Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC), Chief Jossy Eze said seven political parties participated in the election which he said was peaceful. He listed the political parties to include ADC, APA, APC, MPPP, PDP, SDP and UPP.
He said in Abakaliki Local Government Area, APC chairmanship candidate got 820 votes while PDP candidate secured 65, 036 votes. For Afikpo North Local Government Area, APC candidate got 512 votes while PDP candidate secured 55, 808 votes. In Afikpo South Local Government, APC candidate got 33 votes while PDP candidate polled 50,894 votes. APC secured 608 votes in Ebonyi Local Government Area while PDP got 54, 527 votes. APC got 209 votes in Ezza North Local Government while PDP polled 58, 423 votes.
The EBSIEC chairman noted that APC got 381 votes in Ezza South Local Government area while PDP secured 50, 576 votes. In Ikwo Local Government Area, APC got 756 votes while PDP polled 77, 132 votes. APC got 375 votes in Ishielu Local Government Area while PDP secured 68, 263 votes, while in Ivo Local Government APC got 439 votes and PDP polled 28, 787 votes.
In Izzi Local Government Area, APC secured 728 votes while PDP got 84,088 votes.
According to the electoral commission boss, APC polled 1, 189 votes while PDP secured 76, 428 votes in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
APC candidate got 95 votes in Ohaozara Local Government Area while PDP secured 55, 637 votes.
According to him, APC secured 385 votes in Onichal Local Government while PDP polled 59, 698 votes.
Meanwhile, the candidate of APC for Kpirikpiri ward 3, Nnaemeka Obiegbunam shortly after the results were announced, stormed EBSIEC headquarters along Onwe Road Abakaliki with his supporters to protest the result of the ward.
He noted that he won the election convincingly and should be declared the winner. But chairman of PDP in the state, Onyekachi Nwebonyi said his party deserved victory in all the local governments and wards as according to him, it worked hard for the poll and also mobilised its members.
However, APC has vowed to take over the seat of power in Anambra State after the November governorship election.
The party’s National Vice Chairman in charge of South East, Chief Emma Eneukwu, made the declaration at a meeting of South East leaders of APC hosted by Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, at his country home in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. He said Anambra election was one in which the party must show the nation that Igbo people were fully prepared to play the mainstream politics expected of them in the country.
He said the party, in its efforts to actualise this goal, has set up a seven-member election planning and strategy committee, with a former governor of old Anambra State, Dr. Jim Nwobodo, as chairman while the former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, would serve as vice chairman.
Other members include Senator Emma Agboti from Enugu State, who would serve as secretary, while Senator Ifeanyi Ararume (Imo), Senator Nkechi Nwogu (Abia), Chief Maduba Cosmas (Imo) and Chief Gbazueagu N. Gbazueagu (Enugu) are members.
According to the zonal vice chairman, the terms of reference of the committee are to monitor the political environment in Anambra State as regards the 2017 governorship election and report to the zone. Evaluate the aspirants and advise the zone on how best to achieve crisis-free primaries and to advise the zone on best ways and means of raising resources for the election.
While describing Anambra State as the South East industrial and business hub, Eneukwu said every right-thinking Igbo person strongly believes that the state could not play the leading role required of it to open up the South East economy from the opposition.
He regretted that notwithstanding the alliance the present administration in the state formed with the Federal Government in the past, Anambra State failed to actualise the needed economic revolution in the South East geo-political zone because the alliance was flawed.
“The time to take over Anambra is now. The Federal Government is our own. It is of APC; the Minister (Ngige) is our own and so the governor, come this 2017 election, must be our own for the needed economic revolution to begin to free us economically and otherwise.
“We must utilise this golden opportunity to salvage our zone and our people must be told of this imperative truth.”
Eneukwu said he had it on good authority that the incumbent government in the state was sponsoring some of its cronies to APC, claiming they were governorship aspirants under our party.
He maintained that the sole aim of the cronies wearing the toga of governorship aspirant was to create discord, distrust and disaffection within APC adding that the party has set up a powerful team to uncover the plan and checkmate their activities.
“We have set up a very powerful team to uncover this plan and checkmate their activities. Our members are therefore, warned to be careful of dubious characters claiming to be aspirants in the party.
“We have guidelines and until they are announced, and any interested member meets the requirements of the guidelines, one is not an aspirant.
“I heard one announced his aspiration over the social media, and some days ago, claimed he had joined forces with the incumbent governor. I want them to know that we understand their primary school tactics,” he stated.