Fresh Primary: Ex-Ikpeazu’s Aide, Ahiwe, Emerges New Abia PDP Guber Candidate

Former Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Chief Okey Ahiwe, has been elected as the new governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

Ahiwe emerged on Saturday at the Special 2023 PDP Governorship Primary Election at the Umuahia Township Stadium, Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

The fresh primary election followed the death of the former PDP governorship candidate, Prof. Uche Ikonne, who died on Wednesday, January 21, 2023 at the National Hospital in Abuja.

Ahiwe polled 469 votes out of the 516 total votes cast, to beat the incumbent deputy governor, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu; Mayor Lucky Igbokwe, and Dr Sampson Orji, who scored 12, 12 and 11 votes respectively.

The fifth aspirant, a one-time State chairman of PDP and 3rd Republic Senator, Emma Nwaka, scored zero vote.

Earlier, Chief Bob Ogu, Hon. Eric Opia, and Mrs Ezinwayi Jonas, announced their stepping down for Ahaiwe.

In his acceptance speech, Ahiwe thanked the leadership of the party for ensuring his emergence through a consensus of the three senatorial zones of the State.

Ahiwe, who said he had been a successful entrepreneur in the oil and gas industry, appealed to the other aspirants to join hands with him to ensure victory for the party in order to take Abia State to another level of development.

In his opening remarks, the chairman of the Special Primary Election Committee and Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, assured that the party would abide by the outcome of the primary election.

He reminded the party members that the special primary exercise was in consonance with the Electoral Act 2022 following the demise of the former candidate and former vice chancellor of the State University, Uturu, Prof. Ikonne.