Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, declared Uche Ekwunife the winner of the election for Anambra Central senatorial district.
Ekwunife, who spoke shortly after she was declared the winner said she worked hard and never for a day doubted her ability to win the senatorial election.
She said: “I know the intensive work I put in this particular campaign and the love people expressed on daily basis, each time I was campaigning. So, I never for one day doubted my ability to clear the seven local governments, because I saw it. When you see people supporting you, you will see when they are real and when they are not real; so, I could feel it, sense it and touch it.”
Ekwunife pulled 118,484 votes to defeat the incumbent and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Senator Victor Umeh, who had 81,429 and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Chief Sylvester Okonkwo, who scored 10,999 votes, thus, winning with a margin of 37,055 votes.
The Returning Officer, Prof Charles Amobi Nwankwo, who announced the result and returned Ekwunife as the senator-elect, having satisfied the law, said the senatorial district has 854,116 registered voters, 223,877 accredited voters, with 214,186 valid votes, 7,347 rejected votes and 221, 533 votes cast.
The elated Ekwunife, who was present at the collation centre, assured her constituents of quality representation.
“I feel great, I feel highly honoured, I feel so privileged. I don’t really know how to describe this victory, but, I can say it is a sweet victory from God. This has shown, once again, that God is supreme. I won this election in 2015, it was stolen from me through the judiciary and the people have spoken again and renewed their confidence in me to go and represent them in Abuja.”