The Ebonyi State Electoral Commission has declared the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of all the chairmanship and councillorship seats in the Saturday’s local government elections in the state.
The Commission said APC won the polls in all the 13 local government areas of the state – 13 local government chairmanship seats and the 171 councillorship seats.
Recall that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and other political parties in the state boycotted the LG polls.
Mr Ricky Okorouka, state Chairman of the Party, had said that their decision not to participate in the elections was due to the refusal of the electoral body to reduce the N1 million and N200,000 nomination fees imposed for Chairmanship and Councillorship.
Similarly, Mr Chika Nwoba, Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi, described the elections as “one man-show.”
Nwoba said that the PDP is not part of the elections held on Saturday.
The Chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC), Mr Jossy Eze, made the announcement in Abakaliki on Sunday at the commission’s Headquarters.
He said, “By the power vested in me by the law, I hereby declare the results of the Chairmanship of each of the 13 local government as follows.
“One, Abakaliki Local Government, Mr Ebere Nwogba of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the majority of valid votes cast at the election, is hereby returned as duly elected.
Other elected APC Chairmen included Chinedu Uburu, Ebonyi LGA; Chidiebere Uzor, Onicha LGA; Chinonso Ajah, Ohaozara LGA; Ibiam Nnajiofor, Afikpo North and Ekuma-Nkama Chima, Afikpo South.
“This Commission has received, considered, validated and adopted the results of each of the 171 councillorship of the wards. That is to say that APC have won in all the wards,” he added.
However, some residents of the state have decried the conduct of election with one political party.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.