Asaba ----------Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primary for the 2023 general election.
Oborevwori polled a total of 590 votes to beat his closest rival and former Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief David Edevbie, who scored a total of 113 votes.
This was even as former member of the House of Representatives, David Ombugadu, has also, clinched the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP in Nasarawa State.
Nasarawa State Chairman of the party’s electoral committee in the state, Bature Musa, announced Ombugadu as winner of the governorship primary election held on Wednesday in Nasarawa, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.
Musa said Ombugadu polled 247 votes to defeat retired Maj. Gen. Nuhu Angbazo who scored 203 votes..
However, apart from Oborevwori in Delta,
other aspirants included the Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro who scored nine votes and the immediate past Attoney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor who also polled nine votes.
Senator James Manager polled 83 votes; Fred Majemite - six; Ejaife Odebala -three; Chief Abel Esievo -two); Dr Braduce Ango - two; Sir Bright Onajefe-Gift - three; Mr Chris Iyowaye- zero; Lucky Idike, -one; while Chief Ikie Agbarianovwe also, scored zero vote.
However, a former Minister of Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, who was also cleared by the party to run backed out of the primary.
The PDP Returning Officer, Mr Ndubisi Nwobu and his team, while declaring the result, announced Oborevwori winner for scoring the highest number of votes in the primary election.
According to him, the elections committee accredited a total of 824 delegates for the primary elections but 822 votes were cast with three void votes.
“By the power conferred on me as the Party Returning officer for the Delta State PDP Governorship Primaries for 2023, I hereby declare Mr Sheriff Oborevwori winner for scoring the highest number of votes in the election.
“Oborevwori scored a total of 590 out of 821 valid votes to emerge winner and he is hereby returned as the Delta PDP candidate for the 2023 general election.” However, reacting to his victory in an interview with reporters, Ombugadu attributed his victory to God and promised to work hard to ensure that PDP takes over governance in the state in 2023.
Also reacting to the result of the primaries, Angbazo accepted the outcome describing the conduct as free and fair.
“I want to make it very clear that the organisation of the whole process was very transparent. It was done in a way that there is no need for me to think otherwise,” he said, and pledged to work closely with Ombugadu in order to ensure victory for PDP in the general election.
Former Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, and an aspirant had earlier withdrawn from the contest before voting began.
