Ifeanyi Odii, 45-Year-Old Billionaire Clinches Ebonyi PDP Governorship Ticket

Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, a 45-year-old billionaire, has clinched the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State.

Odii, a business mogul, who also sits on the governing council of the Lagos State University, his alma mater, polled a total of 349 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chris Usulor, who scored nine votes.

Two other aspirants, Sylvester Ogbaga, a fourth term member of the House of Representatives, got one vote while Chukwuma Nwazunku, who is also a member of the House of Representatives, got one vote.

The election took place at the party secretariat in Abakaliki, located along Abakaliki/Enugu expressway, on Sunday.

The astute business man hails from Onitcha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, in the Ebonyi South senatorial zone where the incumbent governor of the state, David Umahi, comes from. Umahi would serve out his second term as governor next year.

Umahi, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), in November 2020.

Odii was declared winner by the gubernatorial committee chairman for Ebonyi State, Rotimi Olalekan.

Olalekan said the exercise was transparent as it was done in the open.

He declared, “Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii as the winner of the governorship primary election that took place in the State.”

In his acceptance speech, Odii promised to reclaim the mandate of the PDP in Ebonyi State.

He also reiterated his desire keep his campaign promises and” identify growth opportunities and allocate scarce resources for maximum returns.