Uzodimma, Not Izunaso, is Senator-Elect - Victory dance of Senator Osita Izunaso of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in last Saturday's National Assembly elections may be short-lived as the Chief Hope Uzodimma is actually listed and recognized as senator-elect by the party. Izunaso, who is still in court, contesting Uzodinma's victory at the primary election of the party last December, was erroneously listed by some newspapers as having won last Saturday election. But the list of contestants for the election obtained from the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC), listed Uzodimma as PDP's candidate in the election.

Further to that, the NASS election result sheet recorded Uzodimma to have polled 85, 042 to beat 14 others in the election.

According to the final result sheet, Uzodimma beat Achike Udenwa of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who polled 64, 228 votes to come second ahead of Rajis Okpala N. Benedicta of the All Progressives Grand Allaince (APGA) who polled 57, 110 votes to place third.

Others captured on the result sheet include Eunice Ojukwu of ALP (1,543 votes), Timothy Akojuru of ANPP (2,033 votes), Ekpemogu Godwin of CDC (426 votes) and Millicent Okonkwo of LP who got 1,054 votes.

Others are Vincent Nwankwo of NCP (172 votes), Chinedu okoye of NMPP (172 votes), Rev. Ndibe Teddy of NTP (272 votes), Dikeocha Emmanuel of SDMP (900 votes), Unamma Okembe of UNPD (five votes) and Simon Nwogbe of CPC who got 1,718 votes.

Candidates of the DFPF and NCPP polled two and one votes respectively.

Meanwhile, reacting to the erroneous publication of Izunaso's name, the Chief Hope Uzodimma Campaign Organisation said it was embarrassed by the action which it claimed was aimed at denying Chief Uzodimma of his victory.

Speaking in a statement signed by director general of the organisation, Nze Ignatius Umuna, and made available to journalists in Abuja, it expressed surprise at the action.

"We are surprised at the false reportage and gross misrepresentation of facts in these reports," Nze Umuna said.

According to him, "Chief Uzodimma was the candidate of the PDP for that election. 14 candidates from the different political parties in the senatorial zone contested the election. Our candidate was listed as number 11 on the Certified True Copy of the candidates list by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

"Already, Chief Uzodimma had been returned as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). We therefore wish to appeal to our teeming supporters, PDP members in Imo state and he country in general to discountenance these reports as they are a figment of the imagination of the writers."

Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu

Daily Champion/13/04/2011