The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidates were declared the winners of all the chairmanship and councillorship seats in the local government elections held on Saturday by the Ebonyi State Electoral Commission.
According to the commission, the ruling party won all 13 local government areas in the state.
Jossy Eze, the chairman of the state Independent Electoral Commission, EBSIEC, made the announcement on Sunday at the commission’s headquarters in Abakaliki.
According to Eze, the APC won all 13 local government chairmanships and 171 councillorships.
He praised the voters for ensuring a free and peaceful election.
“By the authority granted to me by the law, I hereby declare the following results of the Chairmanship of each of the 13 local governments.”
“One, Abakaliki Local Government, Mr Ebere Nwogba of the APC, having met the requirements of the law and received the majority of valid votes cast at the election, is hereby returned as duly elected.”
Chinedu Uburu, Ebonyi LGA; Chidiebere Uzor, Onicha LGA; Chinonso Ajah, Ohaozara LGA; Ibiam Nnajiofor, Afikpo North; and Ekuma-Nkama Chima, Afikpo South were also elected as APC chairmen.
“The results of each of the 171 ward councillorships were received, considered, validated, and adopted by this commission.” That is to say, the APC has won in every ward,” he added.
A resident, Mary Akpoke, who spoke with NAN after the results were announced, decried the trend of holding elections with only one political party.
“Aside from the APC, I went out to vote.” This is why the election saw such a high level of apathy,” Mrs Akpoke explained.
Emma Nweke, a teacher, also expressed concern about the conduct of the elections in favor of the ruling party, the APC.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and other political parties in the state boycotted the LG polls, according to NAN.
The party’s state chairman, Ricky Okorouka, stated that the party’s decision not to participate in the elections was due to the electoral body’s refusal to reduce the N1 million and N200,000 nomination fees imposed for chairmanship and councillorship.
In Ebonyi, Chika Nwoba, Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, described the elections as a “one-man show.”
Mr Nwoba claims that the PDP is not participating in the Saturday elections.
Uburu Chinedu, chairman-elect of Ebonyi Local Government Area, praised the electoral commission and promised to prioritize human capital development.