Labour Party concludes primaries, returns Otti, Abaribe, others as candidates

By Peter Okore, Umuahia

The Abia State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) on Saturday concluded its primary elections for the 2027 governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly positions, with Governor Alex Otti emerging as the party’s governorship candidate for the state.

Other candidates who emerged from the exercise include Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Darlington Nwokocha for Abia Central Senatorial District, and Chief David Ogba Onuoha for Abia North Senatorial District.

For the House of Representatives, the candidates are: Obi Aguocha (Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South), Ginger Onwusibe (Isiala Ngwa North/South), Amobi Ogah (Isuikwuato/Umunneochi), Alex Ikwechegh (Aba North/Aba South), Ibe Okwara Osonwa (Arochukwu/Ohafia), Dr. Chima Desmond Anyaso (Bende), Ugochukwu Adinigwe (Ukwa East/West), and Wambu Chiemela (Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo).

The party also produced candidates for the 24 State House of Assembly constituencies. They include: Isienyi Boniface (Ikwuano), Okorie Chinedu Edwin (Bende South), Okoro Uchenna Kalu (Arochukwu), Ibekwe Nnamdi Chimdi (Bende North), Iheonuneku Ugochukwu Collins (Isiala Ngwa North), Roland Chinwendu (Isiala Ngwa South), Lucky Udoka Nweke Johnson (Isuikwuato), Onwubiko Victoria (Obingwa West), Kalu Nwoke (Ohafia South), Kelechi Seth Ebere (Obingwa East), Mkpa Oju Uka (Ohafia North), Nwogu Ihanacho Emmanuel (Osisioma North), Ahuama Onyekachi Fyne (Osisioma South), Uruakpa Chijioke (Ugwunagbo), Obiani Louis Chinemerem (Ukwa East), Akukanna Chiemeka (Ukwa West), Anthony Chinasa Abiola (Umuahia Central), Augustine Okezie Merigini (Umuahia East), Akaliro Kelechi Anderson (Umuahia North), Obioma Emeka (Umuahia South), Umeh Martias (Umunneochi), Ucheonye Stephen Akachukwu (Aba Central), Ehuchie Ijeoma-Florence (Aba North), and Emmanuel Iheoma Emeruwa (Aba South).

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Abia State, Prof. Sylvia Agu, as well as other independent observers, monitored the conduct of the elections and the collation of results across the state.

Declaring the results, the National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party and Returning Officer for the exercise, Mrs. Opara, disclosed that Governor Otti polled 368,230 votes to emerge as the party’s governorship candidate. She noted that the election was conducted through the direct primary system.

Mrs. Opara said the primaries were conducted in compliance with the Labour Party Constitution and INEC electoral guidelines, and congratulated all successful candidates.

Speaking at the International Conference Centre, Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, the venue of the state collation centre, shortly after being declared winner, Governor Otti said that securing the party’s ticket marked the beginning of the task of winning the general election.

“I want to call our attention to the fact that the job has just started. This takes you to the point where you need to begin the real fight.

“If you were not a candidate, then you could not fight. But now that you are a candidate, you know that election is a contest. You have to contend with others. At the end of the day, the best person must win, and only one person will emerge victorious.

“A lot of our candidates have contested elections before and won. Therefore, you are expected to do even better. If you look at the number of people who came out for the primaries, you will find that it is about twice the total number of votes we got during the last election.

“And this is just the Labour Party. There are many people who do not belong to any political party whom you need to reach out to and convince to either join the party or at least vote for its candidates,” Otti stated.

The governor thanked the primary election committee, the INEC monitoring team and party leaders for ensuring a peaceful process. He also congratulated all the candidates who emerged from the exercise.

“I would like to accept this nomination because we know that collectively, we still have a lot to deliver to Abians and, indeed, to Nigeria.

“I appreciate the manner in which the election was conducted. There was no rancour and no violence anywhere.

“All the disagreements that could have arisen were resolved even before today, which is why we had a very smooth primary election across the board.

“I also want to thank our leaders who spent the last several weeks resolving issues and disagreements among us, leading to consensus candidates in virtually every constituency,” he said.

Presenting the Certificate of Return to the governor, the National Secretary of the Labour Party, Chief Acho Obioma, described the outcome as the beginning of another phase in Abia’s political development.

He said Abians were pleased with Governor Otti’s leadership and expressed confidence that he would consolidate on his achievements if re-elected.

Earlier in the day, Governor Otti, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, participated in the Labour Party governorship primary election at his ward in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.