These results were a part of a continuation of the PDP's control of the state as Governor Dave Umahi was re-elected with over 73% of the vote in the gubernatorial election and the party won a majority in the House of Assembly.

[13] Primary results showed Lazarus Ogbe—former MHR for Ezza South/Ikwo and former Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs—emerging as the nominee over former Minister of Culture and Tourism Frank Ogbuewu and other candidates in a landslide.

The primary at the local government headquarters of Abakaliki LGA resulted in Onyekachi Nwaebonyi—former Commissioner for Capital City Development and former state PDP Chairman—emerging as the nominee over former MHR Elizabeth Ogbaga in a landslide.

[28] In review of the campaign in December 2022, reporting from The Nation categorized Nwaebonyi as the frontrunner due to clan and regional dynamics that work against Egwu's third term bid.

[32][33] In response, the state APC initially claimed that INEC had made an error before changing course and conducting a new rerun primary at the local government headquarters of Afikpo North LGA on 1 August;[34] Dave Umahi easily won but Agom-Eze continued to claim that the rerun primaries should not have allowed new candidates and thus she was the rightful nominee.

[38] On the primary date, Ama Nnachi was renominated in Afikpo North; he won in a landslide over Batholomew Olughu and Linus Chinedu Okorie.

[42] Later that month, national attention turned to the race due to the reported kidnapping of Okorie by gunman on 16 October;[43] however, a later police statement stated that he had been arrested and detained.

[45][46] At the end of that month, an analysis piece from The Guardian also focused on regional dynamics as Eleje and Ama Nnachi are from Afikpo while Okorie and Umahi are from the Ivo-Ohaozara-Onicha axis.

These events along with criticism from the PDP and anti-Umahi APC members led observers to label state security forces as effectively Umahi's private militia.

[29] Later that month, a Daily Trust article on the race repeated previous issues for Umahi due to regional dynamics, but also contended that Okorie's detention had hurt his campaigning and Ama Nnachi lacked significant political clout.