Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has won the Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu Zone) primary election of the All Progressives Congress, defeating former Governor Rochas Okorocha by a landslide.
Uzodimma secured 230,464 votes, while Okorocha polled 1,098 votes in the Option A4 primary conducted on Monday.
PUNCH gathered that aspirants in Imo North and Imo East senatorial districts stepped down for consensus candidates Alex Mbata and incumbent senator for Imo North, Patrick Ndubueze.
However, in Orlu Zone, Okorocha insisted on contesting against the governor.
Announcing the result, Kayode said Uzodimma recorded a sweeping victory across the 12 local government areas of Orlu Zone.
In a statement signed by the APC Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya Jones, the party said, “Voting was conducted across the 305 wards LGAs of the State. While LGA collation of results have also concluded across most LGAs, Returning Officers across the three Senatorial Districts are currently in the process of collating the results at the various Senatorial District Collation centres.
“It is noteworthy that many of the Senatorial aspirants had heeded the advice and pleas of the Leader of the Party, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, by withdrawing from the race just before the voting commenced. These party members who withdrew from the race, without any form of compulsion or intimidation, are the real winners and heroes of this contest, as they made the election easier, smoother ad strengthened our party’s unity. As a party, we shall not take their selfless sacrifices for granted.
“We also salute the courage of other aspirants who insisted on going to the field to test their popularity and we wish them the very best of luck, as we await the final collation and announcement of results across the Senatorial Districts.
“We are grateful to the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who deployed their staff across the State to monitor the primary election process. We also thank the security agents and hundreds of our Party members who volunteered themselves to serve in different capacities to ensure the smooth conduct of the primary election.”
