The Ebonyi chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday in Abakaliki elected Mr Tochukwu Okorie as the new chairman of the party in the state.
Okorie polled a total of 1,240 valid votes to defeat his only opponent Mr. Silas Onu, former state publicity secretary of the party who scored 260 votes.
The post of the office of the chairman was the only position that election was conducted while other officers were elected unopposed through consensus.
Mr. Ifeanyi Nworie and Mr Luke Nkwegu who emerged through consensus scored 1,502 each to win the state deputy chairman and state secretary respectively
The 30-member State Working Committee (SWC) will pilot the affairs of the party in Ebonyi for the next four years.
Sen. Ben-Collins Obi, chairman of the congress panel, who announced the results, urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory.
According to him, there is no winner and there is no loser in the contest.
“It is a great honour to be asked to chair this panel. Every successful beginning must have an end, the battle has been won and lost.
“But, in our party as a family, nobody lost. But, in a contest, somebody is bound to be angry. I urge winners to show magnanimity in victory.
“Create an opportunity for reconciliation; bring them on board because in unity we stand, we need them to win election and this is my appeal,” Obi said.
Obi who gave a low down of the congress noted that a total of 1510 delegates were accredited to vote in the election.
“I wish to congratulate the elected officials, our party members, our party leaders and panel members for the successful conduct of the congress,” Obi added.
The new committee was inaugurated and charged to work toward reconciling aggrieved members.
Meanwhile, Okorie, in his post inaugural speech, promised to galvanize the party for victory in 2023 and commended the party leadership for ensuring that the exercise was free, fair and transparent.
“We shall work to ensure that we build a strong PDP that will spur the party to victory in the state in 2023.
“We have internal dispute resolution mechanism which we shall apply to reconcile aggrieved members,” Okorie said.
Sen Anyim Pius Anyim, former President of the Senate and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was in attendance at the congress.
Other chieftains present included; Sen.Sam Egwu representing Ebonyi North Senatorial district, Sen. Obinna Ogba representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial district and Sen. Ama Nnachi representing Ebonyi South.
