The former Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Uturu, Professor Uche Ikonne, has picked the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State.
The primaries of the PDP, the ruling party in the state, took place at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Wednesday.
Ikonne polled 468 votes to beat his closest rival, Mayor Lucky Igbokwe, with 45 votes.
Most of the aspirants, including the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; and five others had withdrawn from the race a day to the primary election.
Ikonne had only two challengers: Lucky Igbokwe and little known Ezinwanyi Ngozi Jonah.
Speaking after he was declared winner by the Returning Officer and former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, Professor Ikonne promised not to disappoint the party leadership and the people of the state if elected.
He urged them to sustain the support that saw him through the primary election in order to win in 2023.
He also expressed gratitude to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for the unflinching support and faith in him as the instrument for the actualisation of the dream of a new Abia.
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