The All Progressives Congress (APC) has produced two governorship candidates in Ebonyi following a parallel primaries held in the state on Thursday.
The development followed the division of the party in the state, where Governor David Umahi is the leader of one of the factions and Elias Mbam, the leader of the other division.
In the governorship primary by Umahi’s faction, which was held at the township stadium, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Speaker, Mr Francis Nwifuru, was elected as the winner.
He secured the highest votes of 743 to win the primary.
According to the returning officer, Prof. Emmanuel Adeboye, “Ali Julius Ucha got 22 votes, Edward Nkwagu got 8 votes, Elias Mbam got 10 votes, Rosemary Ofoke got 63 votes while the invalid votes are 5.”
He then announced, “Mr. Francis Nwifuru for having secured the highest votes is hereby elected and returned as the gubernatorial candidate of APC in Ebonyi state”.
In the result of the Mbam led group, he (Mbam), a former chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, was elected as the winner.
The returning officer.of the exercise, Mr. Inya Otu announced, “Mbam secured 741 votes, Francis Nwifuru secured 7 votes, Julius Ali Ucha got 4 votes, Edward Nkwagu got 2 votes, Rosemary Ofoke got 1 vote, while invalid votes is 22.
“With these results, Elias Mbam having secured the highest votes is hereby returned elected as the gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Ebonyi state”.