TWO candidates have emerged as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in Anambra gubernatorial primaries held on Saturday.
Former Transcorp Chief Executive Officer Valentine Ozigbo won the primaries of the Ndubuisi Nwobu-led faction that held at Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre in Awka, while Ugochukwu Uba emerged victorious at the Chris Uba-led faction held at Paul University Primary School Awka.
While Ozigbo won with 62 votes, Senator Uba won with 275 votes.
The two factional candidates have, however, been presented with certificates of return.
Announcing the result after the voting exercise at St Paul, Chairman of the Electoral Committee of one faction Captain Obidi Ebede declared Ubah winner with 275 votes. Ugochukwu Ubah is the elder brother of Andy and Chris Uba – two former PDP kingpins in the state.
Orient Daily Publisher Godwin Ezeemo cane second with 114 votes.
While announcing the victory of Ozigbo, Chairman of the Electoral Committee Phillip Shuaibu said 16 aspirants contested the primaries but three candidates, including Tony Nwoye, stepped down from the race.
Ozigbo won with 62 votes to defeat his closest rivals Obiora Okonkwo and Uche Ekwunife, who get 58 and 44 votes respectively.
He is also the current non-executive director of the organisation.
It is, however, unclear which of the candidates will represent PDP in the November governorship election in Anambra.
The PDP in Anambra has been enmeshed in crisis for many years. The crisis manifests mostly before major elections in the state.
Meanwhile, former Senator representing Anambra South Andy Uba won the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in the state.
Uba scored 230, 201 out of 348, 490 votes cast at the Golden Tulip Hoel on Sunday, according to chairman of the primary election Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
Johnbosco Onunkwo scored 28, 746 votes to emerge second.
Others were Chidozie Nwankwo, 21, 281; George Moghalu, 18, 596; Paul Orajiaka, 4, 348; and Geoff Onyejeagbu, 3, 414, among others.
However, other candidates are protesting Ubah’s emergence, saying that the election was not free and fair.
'Niyi worked with The ICIR as an Investigative Reporter and Fact-checker from 2020 till September 2022. You can shoot him an email via niyioyedeji1@gmail.com. You can as well follow him on Twitter via @niyi_oyedeji.