Eastern Cape ANC branches have highly favoured Cyril Ramaphosa to lead the party after 423 of 526 branches voted for him.

Second to Ramaphosa was Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with 89 nominations. The other two presidential nominees were Zweli Mkhize with 10 votes, Mathews Phosa with three nominations as well as Lindiwe Sisulu, who was voted for in Sarah Baartman.

Before the announcement of the votes at provincial general council (PGC) yesterday, provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane issued a stern warning to delegates who defied party rules by wearing factional T-shirts, saying "it is very disappointing to see some of you wearing such regalia".

"I sit in the NEC and have to remind all of you that this is not a platform to campaign but a provincial general council.

"I plead with you to refrain from wearing such T-shirts," said Mabuyane while making opening remarks during the PGC held at the East London city hall yesterday.

The delegates wore T-shits in support of Ramaphosa. The PGC was attended by senior ANC deployees such as Danny Jordaan and Eastern Cape education's director-general Themba Kojana.

Mabuyane said the PGC had a huge task to unite the party in the province, referring to the divisions which emanated from the October provincial elective conference which saw delegates throwing chairs at each other, resulting in 15 people getting injured.

"We must come out of this PGC having a plan to unite this province," Mabuyane said.