…Onuigbo – 157 votes, Ikoh – 152 votes

...I ‘ve won, Onuigbo claims

...There’s no winner yet – Ikoh

…I’m waiting for directives from Abuja – Returning officer

By Steve Oko

The All Progressive Congress, APC senatorial primaries for Abia Central senatorial district has ended in a stalemate after it was rescheduled for three times.

According to the result of the contest which eventually held on Monday in Umuahia, the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal consituency, Chief Sam Onuigbo, had a narrow margin of five votes above his only rival, Chief Henry Ikoh.

While the House Committee Chairman on Climate Change secured 157 votes, the former Commissioner for Industry, Chief Ikoh polled 152 votes according to the result announced by the Returning Officer, Mr Izuchukwu Okeke.

Onuigbo who claimed victory in a telephone interview with Radio Nigeria, thanked both the delegates and APC supporters in the zone for the confidence they reposed in him, and promised not to disappoint them.

He promised to leverage on his contacts at the National Assembly to give the zone more quality representation at the upper legislative chamber.

Meanwhile, there was contention over who won the contest as Ikoh alleged malpractice and over voting in favour of Onuigbo.

• READ ALSO: It’s South-West’s turn to produce APC presidential candidate, says Abba-Aji

The former Commissioner who spoke with Vanguard on the telephone, said that nobody had been or should be declared winner until the issue of over voting was resolved.

Ikoh said the exercise would be rescheduled.

When contacted, the Returning Officer, Chief Okere, confirmed to Vanguard that he had not declared anybody winner of the contest following the contention over alleged over voting.

He said that he was still awaiting directives from the National leadership of the party to resolve the matter before a winner would be declared.

Asked if there were no proper accreditation of delegates before voting commenced, Okeke said there was accreditation but added that the discrepancy came from one of the Local Government Areas which had less than the number of wards initially allocated to it.

The primaries which was originally scheduled for Saturday was midway, postponed to Sunday but also ended in a stalemate on Sunday.

Senator Nkechi Nwogu who was initially in the race later withdrew citing factionalisation in the party.

With the pulling out of Nwogu who hails from Osisioma LGA (Ngwa bloc), the contest has become an all Ikwuano affairs as both Onuigbo and Ikoh come from Ikwuano.