By Okechukwu Okechukwu
The Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi has pooled a total of 584,621 votes in Anambra State to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 9036 votes.
The INEC State Collation Officer for 2023 Presidential poll and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Professor Nnenna Oti, who disclosed this at the INEC headquarters in Awka, said that the LP Presidential flag bearer defeated all parties in all the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Anambra State.
The results also showed that the candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Professor Peter Umeadi came third with 7,388 votes, while Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu of All Progressive Congress (APC), came fourth with 5011votes.
Obi and Umeadi are both from Anaocha LGA, Anambra State where APGA is a ruling party. Nonetheless, Obi won the whole 21 LGAs of the State, including the governor Chukwuma Soludo's home council area, Aguata, despite the governor's earlier claim in a statement that the LP will not win Anambra State.
Scores of other parties on the election were; Young Progressive Party (YPP), 1997 votes; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), 1967; Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), 1420; Boot Party ( BP) 514 votes; Accord (A) 343 votes; and Allied People's Movement (APM) 325 votes.
Others were Action Democratic Party (ADP), 299 votes; African Democratic Congress (ADC), 208; All People's Party (APP) 148 votes; Nigerian Rescue Movement (NRM), 118 votes; African Action Congress (AAC) 112 votes; Action Alliance (AA), 108; Social Democratic Party (SDP), 84; and People's Redemption Party (PRP) 62 votes.
Professor Oti said that Anambra State has a total 2,536,156 registered voters, with 628,592 accredited voters, 613,861 total valid votes, 10,751 rejected votes and a total of 624,612 votes cast
Speaking also, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Anambra State, Dr Mrs Queen Elizabeth Agwu, thanked the staff of the commission, Anambra residents and the media for their conduct throughout the election, assuring that the results would be conveyed to Abuja.