Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District, defeating former governor Rochas Okorocha by a wide margin.
The primary election, conducted through the APC’s Option A4 voting system on Monday, saw Uzodimma secure 230,464 votes, while Okorocha received 1,098 votes.
The contest took place in the Orlu Zone, where Okorocha chose to challenge the governor despite several other aspirants in the state stepping down for consensus candidates.
PUNCH gathered that aspirants in Imo East and Imo North Senatorial Districts withdrew from the race in support of Alex Mbata and incumbent senator Patrick Ndubueze respectively.
The result for the Imo West primary was officially announced at the APC collation centre in Orlu Local Government Area.
Chairman and Returning Officer of the National Assembly APC Primary Election Committee for Imo State, Rear Admiral Williams Kayode (retd.), declared Uzodimma winner after collation of results across the district.
According to Kayode, the governor recorded overwhelming victories across all 12 local government areas within the Orlu Zone.
In a statement issued by the APC Publicity Secretary in Imo State, Onwuasoanya Jones, the party explained that voting was conducted across 305 wards in the state during the primary exercise.
The statement added that collation of results had been completed in most local government areas while senatorial district collation processes were still ongoing at designated centres.
The APC also noted that many aspirants withdrew from the contest after appeals from Governor Uzodimma, who is regarded as the party leader in the state.
According to the party, those who voluntarily stepped down contributed to a smoother election process and strengthened unity within the APC.
The statement praised the aspirants who withdrew, describing them as key contributors to the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
The party also commended aspirants who remained in the race and contested the primaries, saying they demonstrated courage by testing their popularity through the electoral process.
APC further appreciated officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission for monitoring the exercise across the state.
The party also thanked security agencies and party members who participated in ensuring the smooth conduct of the primaries.
