The candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Francis Nwifuru, has been declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Ebonyi State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) affirmed Nwifuru’s victory on Monday.
State Returning Officer, Prof. Charles Igwe, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, said the APC candidate scored the highest number of votes cast.
He said Nwifuru got 199,131 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Odii, who got 80,191 votes, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Prof. Benard Odoh, who scored 52,189 votes.
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“I, Prof. Charles Igwe, the Returning Officer for the 2023 governorship election in Ebonyi State and the co-chairman of the State Collation Panel, thank all party agents here present and the distinguished members of the public, and members of the fourth estate of the realm.
“I, Prof. Charles Igwe, hereby certify that I am the RO for the governorship election in Ebonyi State, held on the 18th of March, 2023.
“The Election was contested and the candidates received the following votes: Nwandugo Chukwuma, AA, 554; Nwono Benard, ADC, 673; Ozioma Kenneth, ADP, 578; Nwifuru Francis, APC, 199, 131; APGA, 52,189; APM, 206; APP 99;
LP, 6793; NNPP, 674; NRM, 310; PDP, 80191; SDP, 126; and YPP, 280.
“I hereby declare the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Francis O. Nwifuru, as the winner of the election having secured the highest number of votes cast,” the returning officer said.