June 6, 2022

The Ebonyi Chapter of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) has declared Mr. Latifu Abiola the winner of the presidential primary election conducted in the state.

Mr. Victor Nnadiegwe, Chairman of the presidential primary poll of the party in Ebonyi made the declaration in the early hours of Monday, at the conclusion of voting.

He said Abiola scored 30 out of the 66 votes that were cast by the accredited delegates to emerge the winner.

Abiola, from South-West, is a son of the late MKO Abiola, winner of the 1993 presidential election.

The other contestants, Gboluga Mosugu got 17 votes Usman Bugaje, 15 votes and Mrs Patience Key, four votes to emerge, second, third and fourth respectively.

The electoral chair, while congratulating Abiola, described the contest as free and fair.

He said that there was no form of inducement of delegates whom, he said, voted according to their conscience.

Nnadiegwe urged the nation’s electorate to avoid the habit of looking at the financial capacity of candidates but to cast their ballots for capable candidates who would effect the desired changes in the country.

“Politics is a game of sportsmanship. I believe that the other three candidates will congratulate Abiola and work with him after collation of the final results at the national secretariat of our party,” he said.

Mr. Simon Affiugho, State Chairman PRP, also described the conduct of election as “transparent and hitch-free“.

He urged the other parties in the state to emulate the party’s way of conducting elections.

He put the number of delegates at 69 but said only 66 of them were accredited.

Affiugho urged the winner to carry the other contestant along and to join forces so that the party could take over the country’s leadership in 2023.

A representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitored the Ebonyi primary. (NAN)