An industrialist and former Commissioner for Finance in Enugu State, Barr. Peter Mbah, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and possible successor of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in the state.

Barr. Mbah, who is from Owoh in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, won the PDP governorship primary election, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Wednesday, with a wide margin of 790 votes out of the 807 votes cast by the delegates to defeat his closest opponent, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, who scored 9 votes.

Announcing the result of the PDP governorship primary election, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) added that Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa scored 3 votes while Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Chukwunta Gilbert got one vote each.

Prior to the commencement of voting, eight governorship aspirants out of the 17 contestants stepped down for Barr. Mbah and asked delegates who wanted to vote for them to cast their votes for him.

In his acceptance speech, Barr. Mbah promised to build on the achievements of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration and serve the people of Enugu State with “humility and moderation, openness and inclusiveness, and simplicity and forthrightness”.

The Enugu PDP governorship candidate expressed profound gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for enhancing the democratic process of his emergence.

He assured the governor that “posterity indeed will reserve a noble seat for you (Ugwuanyi) when the history of this state is written”.

Thanking the delegates and other party members for their overwhelming support and solidarity, Barr. Mbah applauded the members of the PDP Governorship Electoral Panel from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) as well as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Emeka Joseph Ononamadu, for their immense contributions to the peaceful and transparent conduct of the exercise.

The Enugu PDP governorship candidate appreciated Senator Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo for the fatherly role he played during his consultations, disclosing that “Jim as he is fondly called continues to remind us that this is a brotherly affair and this is what we are witnessing here today”.

Barr. Mbah equally thanked his co-aspirants especially “those eight aspirants who ceded their ambition for me” for their understanding, cooperation and sacrifices.

Commending the State Leadership of the PDP for steadily steering the affairs of the party seamlessly, the PDP governorship candidate went further to appreciate the security agencies and the Fourth Estate of the Realm for their contributions towards the success of the exercise.

Other members of the Enugu State Gubernatorial Primary Electoral Committee that conducted the governorship primary election at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu after the accreditation of delegates at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, were Duruiheoma Eze, SAN, Hajiya Fatima Usman, Mrs. Edith Ogbete, Prince Yandev Amabei, Hon. Sanusi Musa and Dr. Arthur Bruno Ekwelem who served as Secretary of the Panel.

Dignitaries that witnessed the event include the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu East Senatorial District and other members of the National Assembly from the State, the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, former Deputy Governors of the State, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi and Rev. Ralph Nwoye, Wife of Sen. Nwobodo, Mrs. Pat Nwobodo, members of the State House of Assembly, PDP candidate for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Chief Engr. Vita Abba and Council Chairmen, among others.

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