LP’s Alex Otti Leads Abia Governorship Election

The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Alex Otti, is currently leading in the Abia State Governorship election conducted on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

According to the results so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Otti is maintaining a comfortable lead in 10 Local Government Areas declared so far.

According to the results announced by the various Local Government Collation Officers at the State Collation Centre at INEC headquarters in Umuahia on Sunday, Otti polled a total of 66,024 votes to stay on top.

Otti was closely followed by Okey Ahiwe of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who secured a total of 52,849 votes in the affected 10 LGAs.

Results from seven LGAs are still being awaited.

The LGAs won by the ruling PDP include Isiala Ngwa North, the home LGA of its governorship candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe; Ukwa East; Isiala Ngwa South, where the LP candidate, Dr Alex Otti hails from; Ukwa West; and Ugwunagbo.

LGAs swept by LP include Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Isuikwuato, Ikwuano and Bende.

Below is how the major parties stand in the various LGAs:

Ukwa East LGA

LP – 2,273
PDP – 2,329
APGA – 646
APC – 560
ADC – 13
YPP – 759

Umunneochi LGA

LP – 5,940
PDP – 3,198
APGA – 581
APC – 2,034
ADC – 71
YPP – 314
APP – 679

Ukwa West LGA

LP – 2,883
PDP – 4,622
APGA – 830
APC – 1,209
ADC – 130
YPP – 890

Bende LGA

LP – 9,886
PDP – 3,410
APGA – 947
APC – 2,143
ADC – 459
YPP – 1,667

Isiala Ngwa South LGA

LP – 7,589
PDP – 9,093
APGA – 366
APC – 1,580
ADC – 39
YPP – Nil

Arochukwu LGA

LP – 12,689
PDP – 1,286
APGA – 460
APC – 1,082
ADC – 24
YPP – Nil

Ugwunagbo LGA

LP – 2,159
PDP – 2,539
APGA – 398
APC – 398
ADC – 11
YPP – Nil

Isuikwuato LGA

LP – 8,228
PDP – 2,204
APGA – 3,662
APC – 872
ADC – 136
YPP – Nil
APP – 523

Isiala Ngwa North LGA

LP – 7,323
PDP – 21,741
APGA – 225
APC – 839
ADC –  Nil
YPP – Nil

Ikwuano LGA

LP – 7,054
PDP – 2,427
APGA – 499
APC – 1,098
ADC – 261
YPP – Nil

Meanwhile, the State Presiding Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Professor Nnenna Oti, has adjourned collation till 6:00 pm to allow for more results from the remaining LGAs to come in.

Some of the Collation Officers said some polling units’ results were cancelled following allegations of violence, rigging, and snatching of ballot papers and BVAS machines.

Following serious contention by the State Collation agent of the Labour Party, Hon. Acho Obioma who alleged that the over 21,000 votes scored by the PDP in Isiala Ngwa North were manufactured, the Returning Officer suspended it.

But after counterarguments by the PDP Collation Agent, Charles Esomonu, it was later admitted after the Collation Officer, Dr Dozie Ndubuisi re-presented if after effecting necessary corrections and reports of alleged incidents in the LGA

The collation of results is going on under tight security.