June 23, (THEWILL) – The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and front-liner in the race for the gubernatorial ticket of his party, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has won the Anambra governorship primary election of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Soludo received 740 votes to defeat four other rivals in the party to emerge the flag-bearer of APGA in the governorship election that the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) has scheduled for November 6, 2021.
The four other aspirants were: Hon ThankGod Ibe, Hon Okwudili Ezenwankwo and Barr Damian Okolo, scored 740 votes out of the total 792 votes cast in the election.
He won in all the 21 local government areas of Anambra State to emerge the governorship candidate of APGA for the November 6 election
Several party leaders participated in the election, including the current Anambra State’s Governor Willie Obiano, an APGA member.
Soludo was on Tuesday declared suspended from the party by a faction, led by Chief Okeke, which met in Abuja.
The election was held in Awka by the Chief Victor Oye faction of the party, which also had the support of the only Governor of the party, Chief Willie Obiano of Anambra State.
Announcing the result at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre, the Chief returning officer of the party, Olalere who is the Vice Chairman South-West of the party said: “By the power conferred on me as the Chief returning officer of the election, I hereby declare Prof Chukwuma Soludo the duly elected candidate of APGA for the November 6 governorship election.”
Speaking immediately after the declaration, Governor Obiano assured the candidate and member of the party that the party would again win the governorship election in November overwhelmingly as it did in 2017.
“I want to commend the national working committee the state working committee for the peaceful conduct. It is exceptional. Just know that the job has just started and we are going to win 21 over 21 local government areas again as we did in 2017″, he said.
Soludo in his acceptance speech, thanked members of the party and promised to unveil his manifesto for the election in August.
THEWILL reports that five aspirants of the party; Akachukwu Nwankpo, Nonso Okafor, Carter Dike, Chuma Umeoji and Ifeanyi Ozoka who were disqualified weeks back boycotted the exercise, giving indication that they may participate in the Jude Okeke faction of the party.
Meanwhile, there was heavy deployment of security operatives in Awka, Anambra State Capital Wednesday, over the conduct of the primary election of the party.
The heavy deployment, it was gathered, was in response to the formation of another faction of the party, and was a move to forestall breakdown of law and order.
The event caused heavy traffic in the entire city, with most roads in the city diverted
The primary election started with accreditation at the Alex Ekwueme Square, before delegates were moved to Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka for the voting.
Below are the APGA Primary Election Results as collated in all the local governments:
Aguata LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 44
Anambra East LGA:
Ezenwankwo – Nil
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 40
Anambra West LGA:
Ezenwankwo -1
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 25
Anaocha LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 4
Damian – 1
Ibeh – 1
Soludo – 40
Awka North LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 4
Damian – 0
Ibeh -0
Soludo – 29
Awka South LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 46
Ayamelum LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 1
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 28
Dunukofia LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 1
Damian – Nil
Ibe – 1
Soludo – 32
Ekwusigo LGA:
Ezenwankwo – Nil
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 29
Idemili North LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 1
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 30
Idemili South LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 1
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 29
Ihiala LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 45
Njikoka LGA’
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – Nil
Ibe – 1
Soludo – 41
Nnewi North LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – 5
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 19
Nnewi South LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 45
Ogbaru LGA:
Ezenwankwo – Nil
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 38
Onitsha North LGA:
Ezenwankwo – Nil
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 35
Onitsha South LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 2
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 40
Orumba North LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 4
Damian – Nil
Ibe – 1
Soludo – 38
Orumba South LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 5
Damian – Nil
Ibe – Nil
Soludo – 37
Oyi LGA:
Ezenwankwo – 5
Damian – Nil
Ibe – 1
Soludo – 30
Summary of Result:
Ezenwankwo – 41 Votes
Damian – 7 Votes
Ibe – 4 Votes
Soludo – 740 Votes
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