By Oswald Agwu.
Supporters of the All Progressives Congress in Ebonyi State have been jubilant, and in celebration mood since Sunday following outcome of results so far collated by INEC.
The Party is clearly in the lead in both the governorship and House of Assembly polls in the State. The governorship candidate of the Party, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, had already won 9 out of the 12 Local government areas announced by INEC as at Sunday evening before suspension of collation till 10 am Monday.
The suspension, according to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Pauline Onyeka, was to enable the returning officer for Ishielu Local government area reconcile results from the area with those already uploaded into the INEC IREV.
Onyeka explained: “Ishielu’s results have been uploaded in the IREV.
“They finished uploading the result 100 percent yesterday.
” Today they complained about the result sheets and we gave them replacement results and they are still finding it difficult to get it right.
“I have called Abuja, we are of the opinion that the Admin Sec should host a review committee now.
“They are going to take it from what is contained in the INEC IREV and EC8A.
“They will go through the result sheet and come up with the results, and where it fails to tally, we will cancel the local government.
“We shall be meeting by 10 am tomorrow”
Meanwhile, based on the results officially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the State as at the time, three opposition Political parties, Peoples Democratic Party; Labour Party, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance won only one seat each in the House of Assembly election.
The PDP candidate of Onicha West, Charles Onu scored 4506 votes to defeat his closest challenger and candidate of the APC, Chima Ude-Umanta who scored 3596 votes. Candidate of APC in Onicha East, Mrs. Ikele Uzomaka who scored 2417 votes also lost to the candidate of the Labour Party, Celestine Ogba who scored 4056 votes.
However, the candidate of APC in Ohaukwo North Constituency, Mrs. Esther Agwu won with 3426 votes to defeat the candidate of APGA, Mr. Jeremiah Ekuma who scored 1204 votes.
Similarly, Mr. Chinedu Onah, the candidate of APC for Ohaukwu South Constituency was re-elected with 12,520 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP, Mr. Obim Okechukwu, who scored 6836 votes.
The APC candidate for Ezza South Constituency, Mr. Friday Ogbuewu won with 8107 votes while his challenger, Mr. Ifeanyi Nworie of the PDP scored 4986.
Only results from Ishielu Local government area was remaining to declare the APC candidate, Nwifuru, as the next Governor of the State.
