There was drama and confusion in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Saturday, as the 2024 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election produced two candidates.
The development followed disruption of the voting exercise and violent attack by suspected political thugs.
The Governor Hope Uzodinma-led APC Governorship Primary Election Committee announced Hon. Dennis Idahosa as the winner of the direct primary election, having polled 40,453 votes to defeat other aspirants.
Uzodinma said, “Of the 12 aspirants that contested for this primaries, Clem Agba scored 100 votes, Monday Okpebholo 100 votes, Hon. Dekeri Anamero 230 votes, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu two votes, Gideon Ikhine 700 votes, David Imuse 400 votes, Charles Airhiavbere 162 votes, Osariemen Osunbor 180, Blessing Agbomhere 50 votes, Dennis Idahosa 40,453 votes, Ernest Afolabi two votes and Lucky Imansuen two votes.”
Uzodinma said Idahosa, having polled the highest number of votes cast by party delegates, is the winner of the Edo State APC governorship primary election.
He noted that earlier in the day, there was misinformation as to the venue of the primary election exercise, adding that the Protea Hotel venue was the right secretariat for the announcement of the results.
Similarly, officials of the National Working Committee (NWC) appointed as returning officers for the exercise from the party’s headquarters in Abuja relocated from the initial venue where the announcement of results by Uzodinma was ongoing before they were violently attacked.
The NWC committee led by Dr Stanley Ugboajah declared another aspirant, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the winner of the primary election and thereby announced him as the governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming September 21, 2024 governorship election.
The chief electoral officers, said, “Dr Blessing Agbomhere scored 834, Charles Airhvbere scored 919, Osareime Osunbor 688, David Imuse 507, Monday Okpebolo 12,145 votes, Dennis Idahosa, 5,536, Ernest Afolabi 2,090, Gideon 902, Ize-Iyamu 383, Anamero Dekeri 1,625, Lucky Imansue 503.
“This is to certify that Monday Okpebholo has scored the highest votes, has been declared the winner of the APC governorship primaries and thereby declared the candidate of the party.”
Meanwhile, the Edo State publicity secretary of the party, Peter Igbinigie, said the Dr Stanley Ugboajah-led committee sent to Edo State is the one recognised law as the returning officer for the exercise, adding that Governor Hope Uzodinma does not have the power or authority to return any aspirant as winner of the primary election.
Is is now left to be seen which of the results would be accepted by the APC national leadership and which name will be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate for the 2024 Edo State governorship election.
