Ekweremadu, Nnaji pick PDP ticket to contest 2015 senatorial election in Enugu state

Enugu – Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Sen. Gilbert Nnaji Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, have won the PDP primary to contest the 2015 senatorial election in Enugu state.

Ekweremadu won the Enugu-West senatorial seat after his opponent; Gov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu State withdrew from the race in the primary conducted in Enugu on Sunday.

Nnaji, representing Enugu-East senatorial zone was returned after he secured 231 votes of the 247 accredited votes.

Nnaji’s opponents in the election, former Minister of Information, Mr Frank Nweke (Jnr) secured two votes, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo the former Chief of Staff to Gov. Chime, came last with one vote.

Mr Nwabueze Okafor, National President, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), secured three votes while Mr Everest Nnaji got two votes.

Mr Chukwuka Utazi the former Commissioner for Transport in the state secured the ticket for Enugu-North senatorial seat to replace Sen. Ayogu Eze who is contesting the gubernatorial election.

The primary was monitored by Sen. Anthony Manzu who led the PDP NASS election panel and the representatives of INEC.

Three aspirants, Nweke, Nwobodo and Okafor were absent in the primary.

The aspirants, who sources said were aggrieved, held parallel primary in different parts of the senatorial zone in which they emerged the party’s candidates.

In his remarks, Nnaji expressed gratitude to God for the peaceful conduct of the primary and for making it possible for him to win.

He described his election as `a great challenge’ and promised to redouble his efforts to bring democratic dividends to the people of the zone.

“I will never let you down, I will go back and make sure I give good and quality representation to you,’’ he said. (NAN)