Former Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Okey Ahaiwe has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP gubernatorial primary ahead of the March 11 governorship election for the State.
Ahaiwe’s emergence followed the death of the former candidate Uchenna Ikonne on January 25, 2023.
Ikonne ‘s death necessitated a replacement in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022. that the affected party must conduct election within 14 days to replace the deceased.
In line with this, the National working Committee of the PDP set up an 8 member Special Electoral Committee to conduct the primary on Saturday, February 4 .
The committee was headed by Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo state and Hon Felix Hassan Hyatt who served as Secretary.
Other members were, Senator Felix Kola Ogunlawe, Senator George Sekibo,Hon. Binta Bello,Hon Linda Ikpeazu and Mr Atzer Terzungwe.
Ahaiwe scored a total number of 469 votes to defeat his closest contestant, the deputy governor of the state, Ude Oko-chukwu and Lucky Igbokwe who both scored 12 votes.
Other contenders were Emma Nwaka, a former chairman of the party who had no vote, and a former House of Assembly member, Sampson Orji, who polled 11 votes . A total of 516 votes were cast in the election with 12 invalid votes recorded.
Ahaiwe aged 57, hails from Umuire village in Eziama Ntigha Autonomous community of Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area.
