Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance has garnered more votes than his main challengers in Saturday’s governorship election, winning all the 16 out of 18 local government areas results announced so far by the electoral office INEC. The state has 21 local government areas and the candidates of APC and PDP are the runners-up so far.
Mr Soludo, 61, has been locked in a close contest with Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party and Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party. The candidates are seeking to replace Governor Willie Obiano, the only APGA governor in the country.
Mr Obiano supported Mr Soludo during the primaries and pulled resources that aided his ardent campaign against candidates of the two biggest political parties, APC and PDP.
The 18 LGAs so far announced are Onitsha South, Ndemili South, Anyamelum, Oyi, Dunukofia, Awka South, Aguata, Anaocha, Orumba North, Orumba South, Njikoka, Idemili North, Onitsha North, Ogbaru, Nnewi North and Anambra East. Voting will, however, be allowed to continue on Sunday across polling units where delays were forced by widespread voting machine malfunctions.
PDP and YPP have won a local government area each.
From announced results, APGA scored 96,916; PDP scored 46,862; and APC scored 39,667.
Announced results:
Aguata LGA
APC: 4,773
APGA: 9,136
PDP: 3,798
Awka South LGA
APC: 2,595
APGA: 12,891
PDP: 5,489
Anambra East LGA
APC: 2,034
APGA: 9,746
PDP: 1,380
Onitsha South LGA
APC: 2,050
APGA: 4,281
PDP: 2,253
Orumba North LGA
APC: 2,692
APGA: 4,826
PDP: 1,863
Orumba South LGA
APC: 2,060
APGA: 4,394
PDP: 1,672
Anaocha LGA
APC: 2,085
APGA: 6,911
PDP: 5,108
Ekwusigo LGA
APC: 1,237
APGA: 2,570
PDP: 1,857
Dunukofia LGA
APC: 1, 991
APGA: 4,124
PDP: 1,680
Oyi LGA
APC: 2,830
APGA: 6,133
PDP: 2,484
Ayamelum LGA
APC: 2,409
APGA: 3,424
PDP: 2,804
Idemili South LGA
APC: 1,039
APGA: 2,312
PDP: 2,016
Njikoka LGA
APC: 3,216
APGA: 8,803
PDP: 3,409
Nnewi North LGA
APC: 1,278
APGA: 3,369
PDP: 1,511
YPP: 6,485
Ogbaru LGA
APC: 1,178
APGA: 3,051
PDP: 3,445
Onitsha North LGA
APC: 3,909
APGA: 5,587
PDP: 3,781
Idemili North LGA
APC: 2,291
APGA: 5,358
PDP: 2,312
Nnewi South LGA
APC: 1,307
APGA: 3,243
PDP: 2,226
YPP: 1,327