The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has won the Anambra South senatorial and Onitsha North 1 state constituency bye-elections conducted on Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu winner of the Anambra South Senatorial district and Barrister Ifeoma Azikiwe as the winner of Onitsha North 1 constituency.
Nwachukwu polled 90,408 votes to defeat Chief Azuka Okwuosa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 19,812 votes, and Donald Amamgbo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who secured 2,889 votes.
The bye-election, which was contested by 16 political parties, was conducted to fill the vacant seat left by the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
A former President-General of Ukpor Town Union in Nnewi South local government area, Nwachukwu will be the first person from the area to occupy the senatorial seat since the current democratic dispensation.
He is also the second APGA senator in Anambra State after Senator Victor Umeh, who is currently representing Anambra Central senatorial district on the platform of the Labour Party. At the national assembly, he will be the second APGA senator, the only one being Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South senatorial district.
In the Onitsha 1 state constituency, Azikiwe polled 7,774 votes to defeat Mrs. Justina Azuka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who scored 1,909 votes. Azikiwe will be the second female lawmaker in the 30 – member state House of Assembly.
The ADC candidate is the widow of the slain lawmaker, Hon Justice Azuka, whose body was discovered in the bush near the Second Niger Bridge on February 6, 2025 after he was abducted on 2024 Christmas Eve in Onitsha.
Mr. Ezennia Ojekwe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ms. Njideka Ndiwe of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) received 1,371 and 655 votes respectively.
The returning officer, Prof. Ibiam Ekpe of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, who announced the results, commended the candidates and voters for their peaceful conduct during the exercise.
Meanwhile, the exercise was not without incidents as the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, and the Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Felix Odumegwu, escaped being lynched by thugs in Nnewi South local government area.
It was gathered that the Deputy Governor was confronted by angry youths and held hostage for over one hour on the allegation of engaging in vote-buying. Commissioner Odumegwu, who accompanied him, was also attacked before security operatives intervened.
Reacting on the incident, Governor Chukwuma Soludo accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, of masterminding the assault.
“This is an act of thuggery. Government officials, including the Deputy Governor and the Commissioner for Environment, were attacked. It’s unacceptable”, the governor said.
The National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, also accused Ukachukwu of sponsoring thugs to disrupt the election.
“The Commissioner for Environment was attacked by APC thugs sent by their candidate. If not for security operatives at his country home in Ezinifite, Aguata, the outcome could have been tragic,” Opara said.
He further questioned Ukachukwu’s presence outside his constituency. “How can Ukachukwu leave his home in Osumenyi, Nnewi South, and go to Ezinifite in Aguata to attack the Commissioner?” he asked.
However, Comrade Tony Uche, an aide to Ukachukwu, denied the allegations, insisting that the Deputy Governor and the Commissioner stormed Osumenyi, the hometown of the APC governorship candidate for the November 8 election, with a heavily armed security team to influence the polls.
“If you saw the number of vigilante personnel that came with them—over twenty trucks—you would understand the youths’ reaction,” Uche said, adding that “Ukachukwu never ordered any attack as it was the people that resisted what they perceived as an attempt to hijack the election.”
The Member, representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has enjoined his Constituents and Nigerians, to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice, forgiveness, hope, patience, humility and love for humanity as exemplified by Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the real essence of Easter Celebration.
In a statement personally signed by the Legislator, he called on his Constituents and the Christian Community in Nigeria to demonstrate Christ-like virtues of love for humanity, hope for a better future, peaceful and harmonious disposition in their dealings with one another for a United Ukwa Federal Constituency and indeed Nigeria, where brotherly love reigns amongst Citizens.
He maintained that despite the prevailing temporary economic difficulties; there is light at the end of the tunnel and strong hope for a better, improved and secured economy within a short period of time.
Hon. Nkwonta, wished everyone a hitch free and joyous Easter Celebration.
The Member, representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has enjoined his Constituents and Nigerians, to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice, forgiveness, hope, patience, humility and love for humanity as exemplified by Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the real essence of Easter Celebration.
In a statement personally signed by the Legislator, he called on his Constituents and the Christian Community in Nigeria to demonstrate Christ-like virtues of love for humanity, hope for a better future, peaceful and harmonious disposition in their dealings with one another for a United Ukwa Federal Constituency and indeed Nigeria, where brotherly love reigns amongst Citizens.
He maintained that despite the prevailing temporary economic difficulties; there is light at the end of the tunnel and strong hope for a better, improved and secured economy within a short period of time.
Hon. Nkwonta, wished everyone a hitch free and joyous Easter Celebration!
The Rivers State Police Command has declared that the tragic death of a 26-year-old lady, Peace Moses, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, was not reported in any of its divisions or units across the state.
Peace was knocked down last Monday evening by a convoy of about 15 fast-moving vehicles around Omega Junction along Ada-George Road in Port Harcourt.
She was returning from an evening service at her church, Love Channel Christian Centre, also located along Ada-George Road, when the tragic incident occurred.
Last Thursday, a candlelight procession was organised in her honour by her friends and neighbours.
Speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), wondered why neighbours could not report the incident to the Police.
Iringe-Koko stated that even the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Rumuepirikom Police Division was unaware of the tragic incident.
“Probably they didn’t report any such incident to the Police Station because the DPO in charge of that area is asking me where and when the incident occurred.
See, if they don’t report cases to the Police, how would the Police know? We are not magicians. I just spoke with the DPO, and she said she is not aware of anything like that.
“Somebody needs to report or anyhow, information needs to get through so that we too will get it,” she said.
But reacting to the claim by the Police, a human rights lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu, said that, with or without a report on the tragic incident, the Police are duty-bound to investigate the matter.
Nsirimovu said: “The duty of the Nigerian police is to secure lives and properties, and where a life has been lost in such grievous circumstances, the police have a duty to investigate the matter on the basis of their mandate and the public need to prevent such a menace to human life.
“The Police have a duty to investigate the matter, with or without a petition.”