Alex Otti, candidates of the Labour Party (LP) was, on Wednesday, declared the winner of the March 18 governorship poll in Abia State.
Otti’s declaration follows days of political tension which now been defused by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having polled a total of 277, 467 votes.
He defeated his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe, of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 88,529 votes while Enyinnaya Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), came third with 28,972 votes.
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Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Prof. Nnenna Oti, subsequently declared Otti the governor-elect, having polled the highest number of votes and satisfied all necessary conditions.
The announcement set off wild jubilation across the state as delighted residents danced in the streets, shouting ‘Abia is free!’