Political drama unfolded in Delta State on Saturday as member representing Oshimili South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ngozi Okolie, lost the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary to former Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu.
Okolie, who recently defected from the Labour Party to the APC, suffered a heavy defeat in the closely watched primary conducted across wards in Asaba, Delta State.
The exercise recorded a large turnout of accredited APC members, with voting restricted strictly to verified card-carrying party faithful.
Correspondents who monitored the primary in Wards 5, 9 and 11 observed orderly accreditation, peaceful voting and steady participation throughout the process.
The biggest upset emerged in Ward 11, where party officials disclosed that Elumelu polled more than 1,000 votes, while Okolie reportedly failed to secure a single vote in the ward.
In Ward 9, Elumelu also dominated the contest, polling over 1,800 votes according to figures announced at the collation centre.
Returning Officer, Kingsley Oniawa, described the exercise as peaceful, transparent and orderly.
“There was no issue. The process was peaceful and calm. I counted the votes accordingly and the outcome was peaceful,” Oniawa said.
Reacting to the turnout, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Community Development, Sunday Obi, said party members turned out massively after proper mobilisation.
“They all turned out. They were duly informed and the voters came out in their numbers. From the turn of events today, card-carrying members came out to vote,” he stated.
Also speaking, APC Ward 9 Chairman, Ngoziame Baze, commended the conduct of the exercise, insisting that the party strictly adhered to electoral guidelines.
“The turnout was good. The election went well and there was no problem. INEC officials were all here and everything went smoothly. There was no clash and no challenge of any kind,” Baze said.
Party stakeholders attributed Elumelu’s landslide victory to his longstanding grassroots political structure, mobilisation strength and influence across the constituency.
The outcome is expected to reshape the political dynamics in Oshimili South Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially following Okolie’s high-profile defection from the Labour Party to the APC.
