Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has won the Enugu North Senatorial District Primary Election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Gov. Ugwuanyi was declared winner of the peaceful and transparent senatorial primary election amid jubilation by the Chairman of the five-man Electoral Panel from the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, Prince Vin Yandev Amabei.

Prince Amabei disclosed that Gov. Ugwuanyi scored 299 valid votes cast to defeat three other aspirants in the ballot paper, namely Mr. Okanya Celestine, Chief Eze Godwin Ikechukwu, and Prof. Godsmark Edward Ugwu, who was personally present at the event.

Declaring Ugwuanyi as the winner of the PDP ticket for Enugu North Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections, the Electoral Panel Chairman said, “Having concluded the counting of the votes here, you, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has scored the highest number of votes cast which is 299 votes. And having scored that wide margin, by the virtue of my position as the Chairman of the National Electoral Committee for the exercise in Enugu State, I hereby declare you (Ugwuanyi) as the PDP candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District of the state. Congratulations sir”.

Prince Amabei disclosed that the party primary was conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act and the guidelines of the PDP.

The electoral process commenced with the accreditation of 318 delegates from the six Local Government Areas of Enugu North Senatorial District, which was conducted by the PDP Enugu State three-man Electoral Panel led by the Returning Officer, Barr. Tahill Ochi, before the voting exercise by the delegates.

Monitored by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the leader of the delegation described the PDP Senatorial Primary Election in Enugu North Senatorial District as peaceful and transparent, stressing that “the electoral process went well”.

In his acceptance speech, Gov. Ugwuanyi dedicated the victory to God, and went round to thank the delegates for their overwhelming support and solidarity.

The Enugu State Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Augustine Nnamani led the Chairman of the National Electoral Committee to the venue of the primary to conduct the exercise.

The Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, the member representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency, Hon. Engr. Simon Atigwe, the former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, the PDP Zonal Chairman, Enugu North Senatorial District, Rt. Hon. Nze Michael Onyeze, the PDP candidate for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Engr. Vita Abba, the former Economic Adviser to the President, Prof. Osita Ogbu, the PDP Presidential Aspirant, Barr. Charlie Ugwu, the six Council Chairmen from the zone, and the former State Chairman of the Party, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, were among the dignitaries that witnessed the event, which took place at the newly constructed Township Stadium in Nsukka.

Members of the PDP Senatorial District National Electoral Committee who conducted the primary elections in Enugu West and Enugu East senatorial districts of the state were Dr. Tony Okam, Hajiya Fatima Usman, Sir Victor Richard and Abdulrahman M. Yunusa.