RMAFC Boss,Mbam, Ebonyi Speaker Emerge Guber Candidates In Parallel Elections

By Alo David, Abakaliki Chief Elias Mbam, former chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has emerged winner of the pararel All Progressives Congress (APC) governorhip primary election, held on Thursday in Abakaliki.

This is even as Speaker of Ebonyi state House of Assembly, Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru scored 743 votes against Engr Elias Mbam in an election held in Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium. However, Mbam polled 741 votes to defeat Mr Francis Nwifuru, Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly, who polled seven votes, Sen. Julius Ucha four votes, Mrs Rosemary Ofoke who polled one vote.

Mr Egwu Inya, Returning Officer (RO) who announced the results, said that the election was peaceful, credible, free and fair, adding that a total of 22 invalid votes were recorded. He added that the process met all the required guidelines prescribed by the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “With these results, I hereby declare Chief Elias Mbam, who polled 741 ballots, winner of the election and is hereby returned as the APC gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Ebonyi,” Inya said. Mbam, in his post-election speech, thanked the delegates for the peaceful election and for finding him worthy to bear the party’s governorship flag in the 2023 general election. The former RMAFC chairman promised to lead the party to victory in the forthcoming general elections. “I thank party members and delegates from the 171 wards in the state for finding me worthy to fly the party’s flag. “I want to assure you that I will not disappoint you, I will carry this flag to victory; I want to assure you that in 2023, APC will emerge winner in this state. “I want to thank you for the peaceful conduct of this primary and I want to say with full humility and honour that I accept this mandate happily. “We will all work together to lead the party to victory not only in the gubernatorial election but also in all the elections,” Mbam said

In a similar development, Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru pulled 743 votes against other contestants to emerged the All Progressives Congress(APC) gubernatorial candidate . Announcing the result, the Chairman of the Ebonyi State APC gubernatorial primary election committee, Prof. Emmanuel Adebayo noted that the State speaker, Hon. Francis Nwifuru pulled seven hundred and forty three votes against five other contenders. The committee chairman noted that five gubernatorial aspirants participated in the primary election where the speaker emerged as the party candidate with the highest votes. "Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru pulled 743, Mrs. Rosemary Ofoke Nwogbaga,63 and Sen. Julius Ucha scored 22. Others are,"Engr. Elias Nwalem Mbam who scored 10 votes, and Sir.Edward Ngweagu who pulled 8 votes with 8 innvalid votes and 1 vote not casted". Meanwhile, our reporter observed high tight security presence and representative of Independent National Electoral Commission who monitored the exercise.