Anambra speaker loses third term bid as APGA wins majority in Assembly election
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Speaker Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Okafor, has lost his third term re-election bid following his loss to the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ayamelum State Constituency, Hon. Abuchi Bernard Udemezue.
The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Professor George Onwudiwe, said PDP pooled 12,993 votes to defeat Okafor of APGA who garnered 11,445 and others.
In the election conducted in Anambra Sate on March 18, 2023, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) won the majority in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The party won 17 seats out of the available 30 in the state legislature. While Labour party (LP), won eight. The YPP won three seats, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won two.
APGA won in Anaocha I, Njikoka 2, Dunukofia, Aguata 1, Aguata 2, Awka South 2, and Njikoka 1. The party also won in Idemmili South, Oyi, Anambra East, Awka North, Ekwusigo, Anambra West, Ihiala 1 and Ihiala 2.
On the other hand, LP won Onitsha North 1, Onitsha North 2, Onitsha South 1, Onitsha South 2, Awka South 1, Idemili North, Orumba North and Anaocha 1. PDP won in Ogbaru 1 and Ogbaru 2, while YPP won in Nnewi North, Nnewi South 1 and Nnewi South 2 constituency.
Deputy Majority Leader of Anambra State House of Assembly and candidate of APGA for Orumba North, Hon. Emeka Aforka lost out in his second term bid to the candidate of Labour Party (LP), Hon. Paul Obu.
Obu secured 10,212 votes against Aforka’s 7,675 votes.
Similarly, the member representing Awka North and candidate of PDP, Hon. John Nwokoye, lost out to a fresher and candidate of APGA, Hon. Chimezie Ikwunne.
The results as announced by the INEC Returning Officer (RO) for the constituency, Dr Martina Egenti, showed that Ikwunne gathered 7199 votes to defeat Nwokoye whose votes were 6110.
Similarly, the Labour Party’s candidate for Anaocha 1, Ms Nkechi Ogbuefi, retired the incumbent member and candidate of PDP, Hon. Ebele Ejimofor, who sought third term, while Hon. Ejike Okechukwu of APGA retained his seat for Anaocha 2 constituency
Following the results, it is understood that while this is the first time that APGA, as a party, faced serious competition from opposition parties, it is also the first time that LP and YPP are winning seats in Anambra State Assembly.
