The ruling party in Abia, Labour Party, did not win any chairmanship position in Saturday’s Local Government Election, this is contrast with the contentious trend of parties in power or those supported by incumbent governors winning by a landslide.
Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) won 15 Chairmanship seats and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) won two seats when Prof. George Chima, the chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), announced the results of the poll at the commission’s headquarters in the state capital, Umuahia.
The ABSIEC boss said that the chairmanship and councillorship polls took place in the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
He described the exercise as “free fair and credible”.
He said the elections were a demonstration of the commission’s dedication, focus and efficiency.
Chima expressed joy that the commission successfully completed, in just two months, a task that typically required six to 12 months of effort.
“I congratulate the winners and the losers too, because in any election there must be winners and losers. The most important thing is that Abia has been peaceful and I want the peace to continue.
“I appreciate the security agencies for their support, political parties for playing the game according to the rule,” Chima said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ZLP won in Isiala Ngwa South, Isiala Ngwa North, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Obingwa, Aba North, Aba South, Isuikwuato, Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Bende, and Ohafia LGAs.
The remaining two LGAs of Osisioma and Ugwunagbo were won by YPP.
The Abia situation is similar to the recent scenario in Rivers State where the Action Peoples Party (APP) won in all but one of the 23 LGAs while the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed to win any seat in the election.
However, unlike Abia, it was crystal clear that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is involved in a serious battle with Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), directed his loyalists to contest the election in APP.
It is unclear if the crisis in Labour Party made Governor Alex Otti direct his supporters to contest the election on another platform.
The Labour Party has been enmeshed in crisis since the buildup to the 2023 General Election, where Peter Obi, its Presidential Candidate came third.
In September, Otti’s faction took control of the party after convening a stakeholders’ meeting where Nenadi Usman, former Finance Minister, was appointed head of a 29-member caretaker committee to preside over the affairs of the party.
Obi, Datti Baba-Ahmed, his running mate in the election, among other top chieftains of the party attended the meeting which held in Umuahia, showing endorsement of Usman’s leadership.
But one month later, a Federal High Court in Abuja recognised Julius Abure as the authentic chairman of Labour Party and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him.
The court presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite also affirmed the March Convention organsied by Abure’s faction in Nnewi, Anambra State. Obi, his running mate and other key members of the party shunned the convention.
