The Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Monday Okpebholo, has emerged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the rescheduled party’s primary election in Edo State on Friday.
Recall that the trio of Senator Okpebholo, Hon. Dennis Idahosa and Hon. Anamero Dekeri, had last weeked laid claims to the party’s governorship ticket following a controversial exercise, a development that created division among the National Working Committee (NWC) members of the APC and the Governor Hope Uzodinma, the erstwhile chairman of the party’s electoral panel for the State.
Uzodinma had declared Idahosa as the winner while while the returning officer, Dr Stanley Ugboajah, declared Okpebholo as winner at another location.
Also, another group of electoral officials declared Dekeri as the winner of the primary election.
But, days after, the National leadership of APC declared the initial exercise as inconclusive and fixed Thursday, February 22, 2024 for the completion of the exercise. It later appointed the governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, as chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee to complete the assignment.
Meanwhile, announcing the final results on Friday in Benin City after collating results from the 18 Local Government Areas of the State, Governor Otu said Senator Okpebholo polled a 12,433 votes to defeat 11 other aspirants, who contested the direct primary election.
Otu announced the votes scored by aspirants as follows: Blessing Agbomhere, 731 votes; Charles Airhiavbere, 1,181; Osagie Ize-Iyamu, 378; Senator Monday Okpebholo, 12,433; Dennis Idahosa, 6,541; Clem Agba, 2,732; Lucky Imansuen, 493; David Imuse, 423; Oserhiemen Osunbor, 634; Gideon Ikhine, 728; Anamero Dekeri, 2,566, and Ernest Umakhine, 2,117.
Otu said 12 aspirants contested for the party’s governorship ticket and Senator Okpebholo, having satisfied all the requirements and having scored the highest number of votes, was declared the winner.
He specifically thanked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, adding that in every contest there must be a winner and a loser and appealed to other aspirants to rally round Okpebholo.
He called on all members of the party to remain united in order to ensure victory for the party in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
But, shortly after the Electoral Committee declared Okpebholo as winner, one of the aspirants, Anamero Dekeri, rejected the results and vowed to challenge it before the party’s appeal panel.
He alleged that the conduct of the primaries lacked transparency and was skewed in favour of Okpebholo.
But, Hon. Emmanuel Momoh, who spoke on behalf of Okpebholo, expressed gratitude to the members of the committee for a thorough job, adding that the victory of Okpebholo marked the end of the ruling PDP in Edo State.
Also, an elated Okpebholo, in his reaction, thanked members of the party for the overwhelming support and confidence reposed in him to fly the party’s flag.
He said if elected as governor come September, Edo state will witness massive infrastructural development in all sectors of the state.
He said his victory serves as a quit notice to the PDP, the present tenant of Osadebey Avenue seat of power, noting that his emergence was a victory for all as there was no victor, no vanquished.
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