Ex-state chairman, Silas Onu, wins PDP ticket for Ebonyi South bye-election

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in Ebonyi State, Chief Silas Onu, has won the party’s ticket for the February 3 bye-election in Ebonyi South Senatorial District.

The seat was declared vacant by the Senate President, Godwill Akpabio, following the appointment of the former Senate Majority Leader, Dave Umahi, as Minister of Works by President Bola Tinubu.

The chairman of the PDP primary bye-election committee in the district, Mr. Lekan Rotimi, who announced the results of Monday’s election in the zone, said Onu polled 143 votes to defeat his only opponent, Senator Amah Nnachi, who scored zero votes in the exercise.

He described the election as free and fair.

Rotimi said: “Chief Silas Onu having complied with the relevant electoral law and the PDP primary election guideline and having won the majority lawful votes is hereby declared the winner and returned elected as the PDP candidate for the Ebonyi South Senatorial district.

“A total of 144 delegates were accredited to vote in the election, with one invalid vote recorded.”

The chairman added that the Department of State Security (DSS), police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Nigerian Army as well as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the election.

He also dismissed allegations of a parallel primary election in any part of the zone, saying the committee remained the only one mandated by the party’s national secretariat to conduct the election in the zone.

“I’m not aware of any other congress going on anywhere, like I said, I have told you my name and my committee members and we are the only people sent to conduct the election from Abuja,” he added.

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