Just In: Okey Ahiwe emerges Abia PDP governorship candidate
The immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Chief Okey Ahiwe has won the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primary election in the State.
The election was held, consequent upon the death of Prof. Uche Ikonne the former flag bearer of the party in the 2023 general election.
The results as announced by the
Chairman of the PDP Primary Election Committee, Governor Godwin Obaseki read as follows:
Total vote cast 516
Chief Okey Ahiwe 469
Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu 12 Votes
Don Lulu 12 Votes
Samson Orji 11
Meanwhile, a release signed by Hon. Elder Abraham Amah, Abia PDP Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary read in detail:
CHIEF OKEY AHIWE EMERGES AS ABIA PDP GUBER CANDIDATE
Following the peaceful conduct of the fresh primary election held today, Saturday February 04, 2023 at the Umuahia Township Stadium, Umuahia to replace late Prof. Uche Ikonne as directed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the Abia PDP is happy to announce the emergence of Chief Sir Ambrose Okechukwu Ahiwe as the Abia PDP candidate for the 2023 general election.
Chief Okechukwu Ahiwe emerged after a keenly contested primary election conducted by the members of the Special Electoral Committee of the PDP under the close supervision of INEC officials.
The eight members of the Special Electoral Committee was headed by the governor of Edo State, His Excellency Mr. Godwin Obaseki. Others are Senator George Sekibo, Senator Felix Kola Ogunlawe, Hon. Binta Bello, Hon. Barr. Linda Ikpeazu, Mr. Atzer Terzungwe and Hon. Felix Hassan Hyatt who served as the Secretary.
A total of 516 votes were cast in the election with 12 invalid votes recorded. Chief Okey Ahiwe polled a total of 469 votes to beat his closet rivals. Other contestants who participated in the primary election are, deputy governor of Abia State, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu who scored 12 votes, Mayor Lucky Igbokwe 12 votes, Hon. Sampson Orji 11 votes, Senator Emma Nwaka, Mrs. Ezinwa Jonah, Hon. Bob Ogu and High Chief Eric Opah.
Before the commencement of ballots, Mrs. Ezinwanyi Jonah, Hon. Bob Ogu and High Chief Eric Opah stepped down for Chief Okey Ahiwe and endorsed his candidacy.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee HE Mr. Godwin Obaseki in his remarks said that he was in Abia to conduct a successful primary election and not to add to the pains of members of Abia PDP who lost their guber candidate a fortnight ago.
He condoled with members of the Abia PDP and led the audience to observe a minute silence in honour of the departed guber candidate Prof. Uche Ikonne, former State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Pharm. Ndidi Okereke and former National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.
The new guber candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe aged 57, hails from Umuire village in Eziama Ntigha Autonomous community of Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area. He had his primary and secondary education at Ntigha and Umuahia respectively before proceeding to the University of Lagos, Lagos where he bagged a B.Sc degree in Political Science. He also holds an M.Sc degree in Political Science from the Abia State University, Uturu. Chief Ahiwe has participated in various local and international executive courses in public administration, project management, business and leadership development. He is a successful entrepreneur with high level experience in the oil and gas and logistics sectors.
A true Partyman and an astute politician, Chief Okey Ahiwe has played at the highest level of Nigeria’s national politics and has served the PDP in various national assignments. His last assignment was Chief of Staff to the governor of Abia State, His Excellency Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and comes into the guber contest with a lorry load of experience, capacity and goodwill having spread his network of political contacts and affiliates across and beyond Abia State.
The emergence of Chief Okechukwu Ahiwe as the Abia PDP guber candidate without rancour and bitterness in the PDP family as widely expected by the opposition and critics of the PDP is testimony that the PDP is stronger, more united and more formidable than ever.
We congratulate the other contestants for their show of maturity and sportsmanship in accepting the results of the primary election in good faith. We salute their magnanimity in accepting defeat and ask them to join hands with the winner to ensure that the Party secures victory in the March 11, 2023 governorship election.
We also call on the winner, Chief Okey Ahiwe to be magnanimous in victory and extend a worthy hand of fellowship to the other contestants and ensure that everybody is carried along and given a due sense of belonging.
The Party is thankful to the leader of the Party in the State, His Excellency Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu for mobilising and uniting all interests for the successful and hitch-free conduct of the primary election. We are also thankful to members of Special Electoral Commitee headed by the Edo Sate governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the State Chairman of the Party, Rt. Hon. Dr. Alwell Asiforo Okere, Abia PDP Council of Elders, Abia PDP State Caucus, the State Working Committee, SWC, the enlarged State Executive Committee, SEC, and all members of the Abia PDP who in one way or the other contributed immensely to the peaceful conduct of the primary election.
As we embark on the last lap of our campaigns in the coming days, especially to sell our new guber candidate to Abians, the Party calls on its members to take the challenge seriously and ensure that the personality of the candidate and the immutable strength of the Party he represents are spread in all nooks and crannies of Abia State.
We call on the good people of Abia State, including members of the opposition to join hands with us to build the Abia of our collective dream by voting for the PDP, the Party that is tested and trusted.
*Congratulations, Chief Sir Ambrose Okechukwu Ahiwe!*
*PDP – Power to the People!*
*#FiveOverFiveIsPossible#*
