Celebration greeted the declaration of Alex Otti as the winner of the Abia state governorship election by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as supporters of the Labour Party went into ecstatic mood.
INEC, on Wednesday, declared Otti, the candidate of the Labour Party winner of the March 18 governorship poll in Abia state after days of a political logjam.
He polled 175, 467 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party who scored 88,529 votes.
Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti, subsequently declared Otti the Governor-elect having polled the highest number of votes and satisfied all necessary conditions.
INEC had in a statement ordered the suspension of results collation from Obingwa LGA. The suspension followed the conduct during the election in some parts of Abia (Obingwa specifically).
The statement signed by Barr. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said the order was issued after the Commission met on Monday, 20th March 2023, and reviewed the conduct of the Governorship and State Assembly elections held nationwide on Saturday, 18th March 2023.
According to the statement, INEC office in Obingwa Local Government Area was invaded by thugs on Sunday, 19th March 2023 and the commission’s officials were held hostage in relation to the collation of results from the Local Government Area.
In a tweet via his official Twitter handle, Otti however called on his supporters to remain calm and allow INEC to take its time and review the Obingwa results.
Otti said Obingwa has become a terror ground, which PDP uses in every election to get into power in the state. However, after reviewing the suspended results which were sent to Abuja on March 21, Dr. Alex Otti has been declared the winner by the returning officer in the state capital Umuahia.
Abia 2023 Governorship Results
1. Arochukwu LGA
APC – 1082
APGA – 460
LP – 12689
PDP – 1280
YPP – 410
2. Isiala Ngwa South LGA
APC – 39
APGA – 366
LP – 7589
PDP – 9093
YPP – 1691 3.
3. Bende LGA
APC – 2143
APGA – 947
LP – 9886
PDP – 3410
YPP – 1667
4. Ukwa West
APC – 1209
APGA – 830
LP – 2833
PDP – 4622
YPP – 890
5. Ukwa East
APC – 560
APGA – 648
LP – 2273
PDP – 2329
YPP – 759
6. Umuneochi LGA
APC – 2034
APGA – 581
LP – 5940
PDP – 3198
YPP – 314
7. Isikwuato LGA
APC – 872
APGA – 3662
LP – 8228
PDP – 2204
YPP – 269
8. Isiala Ngwa North LGA
APC – 838
APGA – 225
LP – 7323
PDP – 21741
YPP – 1094
9. Umuahia South LGA
PDP – 4564
APC – 1398
APGA – 1841
LP – 16187
10. Ohafia LGA
LP – 11848
APC – 1354
APGA – 945
PDP – 4128
11. Osisioma LGA
PDP – 4696
YPP – 8839
LP – 7032
12. Aba North LGA
LP – 20974
PDP – 4146
YPP – 2296
13. Aba South LGA
YPP – 1572
APGA – 1762
LP – 22014
PDP – 3348
14. Ikwuano LGA
LP – 7054
PDP – 2427
APC – 1198
YPP – 276
APGA – 499
15. Umuahia North LGA
LP – 27,668
APC – 7225
PDP – 4843
16. Ugwunagbo LGA
LP – 2153
PDP – 2538
APC – 375
YPP – 1805
APGA – 398
17. Obingwa LGA
APGA – 1445
LP – 3776
PDP – 9962
APC – 721
The total results collated so far between PDP and Labour Party are:
LP: 175,467
PDP: 88,529
Meanwhile, ‘Obidients,’ after the long-awaited announcement, took to social media to celebrate the victory.
