Why Otu Replaced Uzodimma As Edo Primary Election Panel Chair — APC

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State could not be allowed to continue to serve as chairman of the rescheduled Edo State governorship primary election because of a prior official assignment.

APC had on Wednesday replaced the Imo State governor with his Cross River State counterpart, Bassey Otu, as chairman of the Electoral Panel, to complete the governorship primary election earlier declared inconclusive.

Though no reason was adduced in the notice of the review signed by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, but the party’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, at a press conference on Thursday said Uzodimma was to tender a report to the National Economic Council this Thursday, same day fixed for the completion of the APC primary election exercise in Edo State.

Morka said; “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to reports in sections of the media suggesting that the Governor of Imo State, and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma, was sacked or dropped as the Chairman of the Edo Gubernatorial Primary Election Committee, and replaced with the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Bassey Otu.

“We wish to clarify that Governor Uzodinma was neither “sacked” nor “dropped”, as has been erroneously reported, but was unavoidably unavailable to lead the completion of the Party’s Edo State Gubernatorial Primary Election Process due to his prior scheduled attendance of, and presentation of a report, to the National Economic Council meeting today February 22, 2024.

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“As a result, His Excellency Bassey Otu, Governor of Cross Rivers State, who was the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, graciously accepted to serve as Chairman, and to complete the Edo State Gubernatorial Primary Election Process.”