The former chief of staff to Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Okey Ahaiwe, has been declared winner of the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
He polled a total number of 469 votes to defeat the deputy governor of the state, Ude Oko-Chukwu; and Lucky Igbokwe, who scored 12 votes each.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the number of total votes cast was 516, with 12 votes invalid.
In his acceptance speech, Ahaiwe commended the delegates for electing him as the party’s candidate, adding that he would bring his experience from the private and public sectors to move the state forward, if elected governor.
Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki who doubles as the chairman of the Abia PDP primary, said the party will support Ahaiwe in his governorship bid.
This development comes weeks after Prof Uche Ikonne, who was initially picked for the position passed away at the National Hospital, Abuja, after a brief illness.
Ikonne, a former secretary to the state government had polled 468 votes in the primary held in May 2022, to defeat Lucky Igbokwe and four other contestants.
Meanwhile, Section 33 of the 2022 Electoral Act states that a political party should conduct a fresh primary within 14 days in order to field a new candidate, following a candidate’s death.
