2023 Governorship Election: 4 Major Factors that Led to PDP's Failure in Top Southeast State
On Wednesday, March 22, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Alex Otti, of the Labour Party the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Abia state.
Otti, the electoral body said polled 175,5467 votes to defeat his closest rival, Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 88,529 votes.
Source: Twitter
The governor-elect's victory brought an end to the 24-year-old rule of the PDP in the state located in the southeast region of Nigeria.
Some of the factors to which Otti's victory can be attributed have been collated and listed below
1. Peter Obi/Obidient effect
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Otti contested for the number one seat in Abia state under the platform of the Labour Party which within nine months of the campaign period became the most sought-after political party.
The Labour Party rose to fame after a former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi decamped from his party, the PDP to obtain the nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2023 presidential election from the party.
Obi, over time became the politician loved by many Nigerians especially youths across the country who despite not belonging to any political party referred to themselves as Obidients.
The Obidients also made up of supporters of Peter Obi from various walks of life including different political party threw their weight behind Otti - a two-time governorship candidate in the state.
2. G-5 tussle with PDP and its presidential candidate
At the peak of the PDP primary election period, some governors of the party led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers had a fallout with Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate for the opposition at the national level.
The governors including Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia; Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Samuel Ortom of Benue state accused the party and Atiku of failing in some of the agreements reached with members.
The tussle between the aggrieved governors who referred to themselves and the G5 governors caused a strain for leaders in various states leaving the PDP as a divided house ahead of the polls.
This power tussle, many suggest could have contributed to the loss of the PDP to the Labour Party in the state after a 24-year-long rule.
3. PDP's failure to deliver good governance in Abia
Over the years residents of Abia state have continued to decry the lack of good governance in the state. From delayed salaries payment of up to three months for primary school teachers; 9 months for secondary school teachers and even over 20 months for those in the health sector, Abians have consistently prayed for divine intervention in the state.
Some of these were evident on various social media platforms and on the streets of Abia on the day the 2023 governorship election results were announced.
The streets of Abia state were engulfed with jubilation by residents who showed their gratitude to God and fellow voters for their commitment to voting out the PDP from the state and staying put to secure their votes.
It just did not stop at that, the residents and even Abians outside the state took to different platforms to also commend, Nnena Oti, the vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri who served as the returning officer for the state in the just-concluded elections.
3. Death of PDP governorship candidate in Abia
Barely six weeks to the 2023 governorship elections across states of the nation, the PDP lost Uche Ikonne, the party's gubernatorial candidate in Abia state.
Ikonne, a former vice-chancellor of Abia State University (ABSU) died at the National Hospital, Abuja at about 4 am on January 25, 2023, after suffering from multiple cardiac arrests.
His death led to the adoption of the provisions of Section 33 of the Electoral Act which allows a political party to conduct a fresh primary 14 days after the death of a candidate.
Following this and a subsequent primary by the PDP in the state, Okey Ahiwe emerged as the party's 2023 governorship candidate in Abia state.
With just six weeks to the governorship election, Abia PDP had little or no time to market the late Ikonne's successor to the people of the state.
"Please Don't Disappoint Ndi Abia": Azubuike Eberechi Tells Abia Governor-elect Alex Otti
The governor-elect of Abia state has been urged to ensure that he does his best to run an inclusive government during his administration.
The appeal was made to the governor by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Honourable Azubuike Eberechi-Dickson.
Eberechi-Dickson while congratulating Alex Otti on his emergence as the governor-elect of Abia state said there is a need to deliver the much-needed development and economic boom to Abia residents.
Alex Otti vows to use Peter Obi’s governance model for Abia, gives reason
The newly elected governor of Abia state, Alex Otti, says his system of governance will adopt the Peter Obi model used in Anambra state.
He stated that the reason for adopting Obi's governance style is to cut government expenditure costs.
Otti, however, stated that in adopting this style of governance, his administration would remain reasonable.
Source: Legit.ng
