By Chijindu Emeruwa, Abia.

Ahead of the 2023 general election, the immediate past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Sampson Ogah has emerged the Governorship standard bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abia State in the concluded gubernatorial primary election held across the 184 wards of the seventeen local government areas of the state which ended early Friday morning.

The emergence of Ogah at the end of the keenly contested APC governorship primaries followed announcement by the Returning Officer, Barrister Perfect Okorie in Umuahia, the state capital.

Okorie after final collation of vote cast totaling 195,801, Ogah polled 141,952 votes to beat his closest rival, Paul Ikonne who scored 27,054.

Other gubernatorial aspirants that participated at the direct primary election include, Chief Ikechi Emenike who polled 9,446, Emeka Atuma with 7,429, Obinna Oriaku with 5,553, Alex Otti scored 2,41, and Daniel Eke who got 1,953 at the keenly contested direct primaries.

The Returning Officer described the outcome of the concluded primaries as true reflection of the total will of the people of Abia State.

Ogah who won the concluded APC Abia gubernatorial primaries will face the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Professor Uche Ikonne and others in the upcoming main and general election in the state come 2023.

Our correspondent had earlier reported that the National Executive Committee of the All Progressive Congress, had on Wednesday, approved direct mode for the Abia gubernatorial seat primary election of the party.

The party leadership penciled down Abia, Benue and Osun States for the direct mode of its primaries which encourages APC members to cast their votes for preferred aspirants across the electoral wards of the three states of the Nigeria federation._