Confusion as another APC governorship candidate emerges from parallel primary election in Edo

Confusion as another APC governorship candidate emerges from parallel primary election in Edo

There is confusion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State as another governorship candidate emerged on Saturday from a parallel primary election in the state.

Shortly after a House of Representatives member, Dennis Idahosa, was declared as the winner of the APC governorship primary election, another group which held a parallel primary election declared a senator, Monday Okpebholo, as the party governorship candidate in the state, according to a report by Channels TV.

Channels TV reported that the APC State Returning Officer, Ogbuaja Uzoamaka, declared Mr Okpebholo as the winner of the parallel election.

The primary election which produced Mr Idahosa was conducted by a panel headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.

It was reported that thugs disrupted the election that was conducted by Mr Uzodinma and his team, forcing the officials to change the venue for the collation of results.

Mr Idahosa has insisted that he won the election.

“The people of Edo, under the platform of the APC, have spoken, loud and clear. I have won the election,” Mr Idahosa said shortly after he was declared as the winner of the election by Governor Uzodinma.

He said he will move swiftly to reconcile the APC members in the state ahead of the 21 September general election.

“The time of struggle is over, this time is for reconciliation,” he said.

“For those that I contested with, we are brothers, we are one family. I am going to start (the) reconciliation process immediately because I need all of them (in order) to win the general election.”

Why some aspirants withdrew

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the APC National Working Committee had zoned the governorship ticket of the party to Edo Central Senatorial District, thereby forcing some aspirants to withdraw from the primary election.

NAN reported that a former deputy governor of Edo, Lucky Imasuen, and a retired permanent secretary from the federal civil service, Ernest Umahikhe, on Saturday, announced their withdrawal from the race.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was the 2020 APC governorship candidate in the state, had, on Friday, announced his withdrawal from the race.