The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Uchenna Okafor of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has lost his re-election bid to a village farmer, Abuchi Bernard Udemezue of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The speaker is pursuing a third term bid to represent Ayamelum State Constituency in the 9th Anambra State Assembly.
Declaring the results of the poll in the area, the INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof George Onwudiwe said PDP polled 12,993 votes to defeat Okafor of APGA who garnered 11,445 and others.
Our correspondent gathered that the outgoing Anambra Speaker’s problem began when he allegedly flouted a gentleman’s zoning arrangement in the area.
Advice by stakeholders in the area were said to have fallen on deaf ears as the speaker threw caution to the wind and insisted he will run, despite the signs that followed his primary election.
A resident of the area, Chiweta Johnson who spoke with TNC correspondent said the loss serves the speaker right.
“Before the election, we told the speaker not to vie again because it’s not the turn of his area to do so.
“We have a standing agreement of zoning arrangement on this matter.
“The speaker didn’t listen to us, maybe because of his enormous wealth or connection to the government. So, he tried his luck and our people taught him a lesson he won’t forget in a hurry.
“The people just voted for a local farmer here because it’s the turn of his quarter to represent Ayamelum in the state house of assembly.
“The quarter will do two terms and the slot will move to another zone, which all us already know, because of our longstanding agreement,” he noted.
In a related development, the Deputy Majority Leader of Anambra State House of Assembly and candidate of APGA for Orumba North State Constituency, Emeka Aforka also lost his second term bid to Labour Party (LP) Candidate, Paul Obu.
Obu secured 10,212 votes as against Aforka’s 7,675 votes.
Also, the member representing Awka North and candidate of the PDP, Hon. John Nwokoye, lost out to a first timer 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 who got 6110.
In the same vein, the Labour Party Candidate for Anaocha 1, Ms Nkechi Ogbuefi, clinched the seat from an incumbent member and candidate of PDP, Ebele Ejiofor, who sought third term.
Below is the final breakdown of the results of the House of Assembly Elections in Anambra State on held on 18th March, 2023.
A. STATE CONSTITUENCIES IN ANAMBRA NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT
- Anambra East – APGA
- Anambra West – APGA
- Ayamelum – PDP
- Ogbaru 1 – PDP
- Ogbaru 2 – PDP
- Onitsha North 1 – PDP
- Onitsha North 2 – LP
- Onitsha South 1 – LP
- Onitsha South 2 – LP
- Oyi – APGA
B. STATE CONSTITUENCIES IN ANAMBRA CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT
- Anaocha 1 – LP
- Anaocha 2 – APGA
- Awka South 1 – LP
- Awka South 2 – APGA
- Awka North – APGA
- Dunukofia – APGA
- Njikoka 1 – APGA
- Njikoka 2 – APGA
- Idemili North – LP
- Idemili South – APGA
C. STATE CONSTITUENCIES IN ANAMBRA SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICTS
21. Aguata 1 – APGA
22. Aguata 2 – APGA
23. Ekwusigo – APGA
24. Ihiala 1 – APGA
25. Ihiala 2 – APGA
26. Nnewi North – YPP
27. Nnewi South 1 – YPP
28. Nnewi South 2 – YPP
29. Orumba North – LP
30. Orumba South – APGA
D. NUMBER OF SEATS WON BY EACH POLITICAL PARTY
- APGA – 16
- LP- – 7
- PDP – 4
- YPP – 3
