Michael Onwuka, Enugu
A former Chief of Staff to Enugu State Government, Mr. Peter Mba, has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primaries in the state, Ikengaonline reports.
Mba, who was also Commissioner for Finance under the administration of Sen. Chimaroke Nnamani, polled 790 votes in the primaries contested by nine aspirants.
His closest rival, Mr. Chijioke Edeoga polled nine votes, followed by Mr. Chinyeaka Ohaa with three votes while Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and Mr Chukwunta Gilbert got one vote respectively.
The other five contestants including Prof. Hillary Edeoga, Mr. Ken Onoh, Prof. Barth Nnaji, Sen. Gilbert Nnaji and scored nil vote.
Only three void votes were recorded.
The Chairman of the PDP Gubernatorial Primaries Electoral Committee in Enugu State, Sen. Zik Sunday, who declared the result, described the process as transparent, credible, and peaceful.
Sunday said that 812 delegates were accredited for the exercise with 807 votes cast.
He said that at the close of accreditation, two delegates from Oji River Local Government Area did not come.
The electoral committee chairman said that independent observers, including officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were on ground to monitor the exercise.
Ikengaonline further reports that 19 aspirants purchased the gubernatorial nomination form of the party.
However, prior to voting during the primaries, eight of the aspirants stepped down for Mba.
The aspirants who announced their withdrawals are Messrs Chukwudi Nneji, Kingsley Udeh, Erasmus Anike and Nwabueze Ugwu.
The rest are Messrs Ifeanyichukwu Nwoye, Onyekwere Nnaji, Beloved-Dan Anike and Gabriel Ajah.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that Ekweremadu had in a statement early hour of Wednesday announced his withdrawal from the contest.
Ikengaonline further reports that voting at the primaries which held in the main bowl of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu started by 2:22pm.
Mba, a legal professional, who hails from Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state is the Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle Oils Nig. Ltd.
