Following the outcome of the February 3 rerun election in Anambra State, the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, has said that it was a litmus test for the 2025 governorship election in the state.
The Young Progressive Party founded by Ubah won the two House of Representatives election for Nnewi North/ Nnewi South/ Ekwusigo and Orumba North and South federal constituencies.
The rerun in Nnewi was between YPP and the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance in the state, while that of Orumba was between YPP and the Peoples Democratic Party.
In the rerun, Peter Uzokwe of YPP polled 25,518 votes to defeat APGA candidate, Uche Elodimuo who polled 25,412 votes for Nnewi.
Also, the YPP candidate for Orumba North/South federal constituency, Princess Chinwe Nnabuife polled 14,496 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Okwudili Ezenwankwo who polled 13087 votes.
Although Ubah recently defected to the All Progressives Congress and has declared his intention to contest the governorship in 2025, his supporters ensured that YPP still won.
Addressing reporters in Nnewi, Ubah said he needed the February 3 rerun to show officials of the Anambra State government that winning election was not a matter of deploying all the state machinery to the two constituencies where the election took place.
He said: “On the day of the election, I was in my house here in Nnewi. I didn’t step out from my house, but I used my influence and strategies to win the two House of Representatives seats for my former party. That was a litmus test for 2025 governorship election in Anambra State.
“The state government sent down seven Commissioners, Special Assistants and other government officials to Nnewi for that election for APGA to win.
“Their purpose was to intimidate us but we floored them to make a statement that by the grace of God we are in charge of Nnewi in particular and Anambra South Senatorial District in general.”
Ubah assured that if given the APC governorship ticket for the 2025 election, he would win the contest and take Anambra State to its pride of place in the country, using his enormous cognitive experience in business and in politics.
Ubah commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies for ensuring that the rerun poll was devoid of rancour and acrimony despite attempts by officials of the state government to create unnecessary tension.