A former first lady and wife of the immediate past government of Anambra state, Ebelechukwu Obiano, has won the Anambra North senatorial primary election of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Mrs Obiano defeated her husband’s former Chief of Staff, Mr Primus Odili in a keenly contested primary election at the Ikpeazu Sports Stadium, Onitsha, on Sunday.
While announcing Obiano as the winner, Mr Ikenna Osuji, the Returning Officer of the primary elections committee, said she scored 152 votes to defeat his closest rival, Odili, who polled 120 votes, with the other 2 aspirants, Mr Sam Onwuteaka and Mr Tony Nnacheta getting 2 votes each.
Osuji described the election as peaceful, adding that delegates and aspirants conducted themselves in an orderly manner.
This election is coming a day after there had been reports that APGA’s Anambra North Senatorial District primary election had been postponed as a large number of thugs invaded the Anambra East Local Government Area in Otuocha, the venue of the election.
They reported that thugs also took over the vicinity around the area and held some party officials hostage, with some members of the party blaming Mrs Obiano for the fracas, while other party members blamed a certain House of Representatives member for causing the disruption.
A source linked to Mrs Obiano, however, denied that she had any hand in the unfortunate incident.
What you should know
- Recall that in the build-up to the November 2021 governorship election in Anambra state, Governor Willie Obiano, revealed that he had no interest in contesting for any elective position in the 2023 general election, but said that his wife, Ebelechukwu will be contesting for the Anambra north senatorial district.
- She will be contesting against the incumbent Senator in the zone, Stella Oduah, who also picked the senatorial ticket of the PDP.
- Recall that earlier in March 2022, during the swearing-in-ceremony of Professor Charles Soludo as the Governor of Anambra state, Mrs Obiano was involved in a physical fight with the widow of the late founder of APGA and former governor of the defunct Eastern region, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu.
