From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti’s party, the Labour Party, has lost out in the local government election in the state last Saturday, as the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Young People’s Party (YPP), won in all the 17 local councils.
ZLP, on which platform Otti’s political allies contested, won 15 of the local government areas, while the YPP, won the remaining two, Osisioma and Ugwunagbo councils.
LP’s defeat came despite being in power in the state, and due to the internal wrangling that bedevilled the party in Abia which made Otti’s men to pitch tent with the ZLP.
Announcing the results in Umuahia, Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Chima George, said the commission had fulfilled its duty as mandated by law.
“We have fulfilled the duty we were inaugurated on September 5 to carry out. It was not an easy task but we went beyond and above to raise awareness about the election across the state,” he said.
Chima emphasised the importance of the election, saying, “This commission has not conducted an election with over 12 political parties participating in recent times. This is a milestone for us.”
He said the election was successfully held across all the 17 councils, describing it as “free, fair, and credible.”
He highlighted the efficiency of the commission, completing a task that typically takes six to 12 months, in just two months.
He congratulated both the winners and the losers, stressing the importance of maintaining peace in Abia.
“In any election, there are winners and losers, but the most crucial thing is to keep Abia peaceful. I encourage everyone to uphold this peace.”
The ABSIEC boss thanked security agencies for their support and praised political parties for adhering to the rules of the game during the election.
