Governor Umahi’s brother and former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party, Austin Umahi, has won the All Progressives Congress primary election for Ebonyi South senatorial district.
Umahi contested with a retired permanent secretary in the state, Princess Ann Agom Eze, and polled a total of 279 votes as against five votes by his rival.
The delegate election was held at the Afikpo North Council headquarters on Saturday amidst tight security.
The returning officer from APC headquarters, Abuja, Professor Mohammed Zubairu, who declared Umahi winner, announced that a total of 284 delegates from the five Local government areas that make up the senatorial district participated in the election, out of the 285 in the delegates’ list.
Addressing party members at the end of the exercise, Umahi appreciated the delegates, security agencies and the press for their contributions towards the success of the primary election.
He noted that election should not be a do or die affair, adding that primary elections should be seen as a family affair of the concerned party.
Agom Eze, in her remarks, said she felt fulfilled having put in her best to protect the integrity of womanhood.
She said: “I am so happy with myself because I have fought a good fight.
And I, ‘Nwanyi bu ife’ will continue to fight as I hand over to them to declare the winner, and the political process continues.
“I know I have tried for the women, and if they had chosen to betray their conscience for some monetary gains, that’s up to them.”
Agom Eze in an interview, however, observed that the delegates were obviously intimidated to vote against their wishes.
She explained: “But what they did was not a secret ballot.
“The ballot table would have been left alone without anybody there and the ballot box.
“All the people around the table were government officials and so they got the system compromised as people got scared.”