Abia LG Poll: ZLP wins 15 chairmanship seats, YPP claims 2
Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has emerged victorious in the Local Government elections conducted by the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) on Saturday, November 2, 2024, after winning 15 of the 17 chairmanship seats.
Announcing the result of the Councils polls, ABSIEC Chairman, Prof. George N. Chima, said the remaining two chairmanship seats were clinched by the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
The results show that the crises-ridden ruling party in the state, Labour Party (LP), did not win the chairmanship seat in any local government.
The results, as announced by Prof. Chima, show that in Ohafia LGA, the chairmanship candidate of ZLP, Eleanya Kalu, secured 30,223 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who got 8, 064 votes to place second.
ZLP’s Maxwell Nwadike won with 33,667 ballots of the 66, 481 votes cast, to emerge victorious in Obingwa, same feat Chiendum Ekeke of ZLP also recorded in Ukwa East after securing 13,941 votes out of the total 20, 969 votes cast, to beat other contenders. ZLP also won in Umunneochi with 17, 356 votes.
In Isiala Ngwa South, ZLP’s Nnadozie Nwogwugwu was victorious with 17,091 votes out of the 37,603 votes. Also in Aba North LGA, it was the ZLP’s chairmanship candidate, Timothy Iheke, who coasted home to victory while Anyanwu Obialor also of ZLP won in neighbouring Aba South. Pastor Dike Nwankwo of ZLP equally clinched victory in Ukwa West LGA.
In Umuahia North, Smart Iheoma, the ZLP Chairmanship candidate, won by a large margin of 41,803 votes. Similarly, in Umuahia South, ZLP chairmanship candidate, Chinedu Enwereuzo, won with 20,973 votes. ZLP equally made a strong showing in Isuikwuato where its Chairmanship candidate, Chibunna Akara, won with 12, 855 votes. Total votes cast was 22, 027.
ZLP was victorious in Arochukwu and Bende. In Aroochukwu, the ZLP candidate got 22, 502 votes to beat his opponents, while in Bende, the party’s candidate got 15, 616 votes, to come tops. In Ikwuano, ZLP candidate scored 16, 738 to win the chairmanship contest. ZLP also won in Isiala Ngwa North.
YPP did not only maintain its strong grip on Osisioma Ngwa LGA where its chairmanship candidate, Chidi Chris Agu, was victorious after polling 29,088 of the 64, 688 votes cast; but added another Council, Ugwnagbo LGA, to its fold, as its Chairmanship candidate, Iheanacho Chiemela Nwagbara, emerged as the winner, thereby making the party to be in control of two local governments.
The ABSIEC Chairman, Prof. George N. Chima, described the election as free, fair, credible and competitive, with over 12 political parties participating in the election,
He thanked the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), security agencies, political party chairmen, the media and everyone whose efforts contributed to the smooth, peaceful, and successful conduct of the election, while congratulating the winners on their emergence.
“In any election, there are winners and losers, but the most important thing is that Abia remains peaceful. I urge everyone to uphold this peace,” the ABSIEC boss appealed.
The results for the councillorship seats are expected to be made public as soon as possible.
