APC Declares Controversial Edo Governorship Primary Election Inconclusive
The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, declared the primary for the Edo governorship election inconclusive on Tuesday evening to address the chaos that marred the process.
At the end of the primary, three out of the 12 aspirants who participated claimed victory.
Governor Hope Uzodinma, appointed to lead the Primary Election Committee by the APC NWC, announced Hon. Dennis Idahosa as the winner with 40,453 votes. However, Senator Okpebholo and Honourable Sunday Dekeri also asserted that they emerged victorious in the primary election.
While Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Chief Returning Officer, Dr Stanley Ugboaja, Dekeri was named the APC governorship candidate for the Edo September 2024 governorship election by the local government returning officers under the leadership of Ojo Babatunde.
Both Dekeri and Okpebholo have lodged petitions with the Appeal Committee and the national chairman of the party, requesting certificates of return as the APC candidate for the election.
The messy outcome of the primary was also reported to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru, as stated by The Nation.
However, the decision to declare the primary inconclusive was made during an emergency meeting of the APC NWC. This meeting was called to assess the report of the primary election submitted by Gov. Hope Uzodinma.
The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, announced the decision to declare the primary election inconclusive to journalists at the end of the meeting which lasted for over three hours.
Furthermore, Thursday, 22 February, has been scheduled as the date for the conclusion of the gubernatorial primary.
“At its emergency meeting held today, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to consider the report on the Edo State Governorship Primary Election, the National Working Committee (NWC) deliberated on the report and resolved that the Edo State Governorship Primary Election has not been completed, and has now fixed Thursday, February 22, 2024, for the completion of the Primary Election Process,” the party announced.
