The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ebonyi State, Prince Chibueze Agbo, yesterday accepted defeat and the election results of the last governorship election in the State.
Agbo, however, congratulated the winner of the election and incumbent governor of the state, David Umahi.
Recall that Umahi, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had defeated the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Sunny Ogbuorji and Mr Agbo in the election.
The governor according to the State Returning Officer, Prof Chukwuemeka Eze garnered a total of 393,343 votes cast across the 13 local government areas in the state to defeat the duo.
Ogbuorji got a total of 81703 votes cast to place a distant second while Mr Agbo came third with just 10129 votes.
Ogbuorji had rejected the outcome of the election and vowed to challenge the result at the tribunal.
But, Mr Agbo in a letter to Umahi said he accepted the result as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the spirit of sportsmanship.
Agbo noted that he did not initially set out to contest for governorship election in the state.
He said he was prepared for the House of Representatives seat for his Federal constituency-Ebonyi/Ohaukwu on the platform of the APC.
“It was the irregularities, impunity and wanton abuse of the party’s guidelines and constitution, disrespect for the party Elders, and killings that characterised the primary, and my realization that the managers of the party in Ebonyi state lacked the understanding, preparedness, zeal, training, exposure and charisma needed for effective, engaging and fruitful opposition in the state that made me to leave the team immediately and join the SDP where I was given the opportunity to fly the flag and participate in the Governorship Election”, he said.
Mr Agbo urged the governor to carry everyone along in his policies and programmes going forward.
“One thing is instructive, you are the Governor of Ebonyi State de facto and de jure. You are the Governor of everybody in the state irrespective of party, religion, colour, tribe, creed and status. I, therefore, appeal that you strive to keep that in mind in all your policies as you lead us in the next four years” he noted.
Agbo also appealed to the governor to give succour to those whose home and property were destroyed in political-related violence in the heat of the elections in Izzi and Ezza North local government area.
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