The former Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation PLC, (Transcorp), Valentine Ozigbo, has emerged as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November polls in the state.
Ozigbo, who polled 62 votes out of the 218 ballots cast, during the Governorship election primary, meanwhile, has appealed to other 13 contestants to support him win the election and rest power from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He beat his closest rivals; Obiora Okonkwo who polled 58 votes and Senator Uche Ekwunife who polled 44 votes, who both emerged second and third respectively.
Other Aspirants who scored votes in the contest were; Walter Okeke, two votes; Chris Azubogu, 10 votes; Genevieve Ekwochi, three votes; Chidi Onyemwlukwe, two votes; Ifedi Okwenna, one vote; Winston Udeh, 12 votes; and Godwin Maduka, five votes; while three votes were voided.
Announcing the result, the secretary of the PDP primary election committee, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, declared the Ozigbo winner, saying I, Comrade Philip Shaibu by the powers conferred on me, I hereby declare Valentine Ozigbo as the winner of the PDP Anambra Governorship election, having scored the highest votes.
In his reaction, vice presidential candidate of the party in the 2019 election, Peter Obi, while congratulating Ozigbo over his victory, said that the election had come to an end and that all members including the other aspirants should support the winner to claim victory for PDP.
“I thank the National Chairman who, together with his leadership, has remained neutral. I congratulate the PDP family in Anambra state who has given the state the most peaceful and organized process of choosing a candidate,” Obi, a former governor of Anambra, said.
16 aspirants went into the contest for the ticket of the party, but three of the aspirants; Emeka Etiaba, Tony Nwoye, and Chuma Nzeribe stepped down from the contest, citing irregularities.
Meanwhile, a faction of PDP in Anambra State had earlier on Saturday elected, Ugochukwu Uba as its standard-bearer at a parallel governorship primary.
