APC Governorship Primary Election in Edo State: Confusion as Three Candidates Emerge
The aftermath of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Edo State held on Saturday has led to a deepening crisis, with three candidates now laying claim to the party’s ticket for the governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
Initially, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, chairman of the governorship primary committee, and Ugboaja Stanley Uzoamaka, the Returning Officer, declared two different candidates as winners. Uzodinma declared Honourable Dennis Idahosa the winner with 40,453 votes, while Uzoamaka declared Senator Monday Okpebholo the winner with 12,145 votes. This discrepancy already created confusion regarding the rightful candidate.
However, the situation became even more chaotic when Mr Ojo Babatunde, the Spokesman of the local government returning officers, declared Honourable Anamero Sunday Dekeri as the winner of the primary election with 25,384 votes, defeating both Idahosa and Okpebholo.
Dekeri, who represents Etsako Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, expressed his gratitude to the delegates for electing him as the party’s candidate. He pledged to work diligently and not take the confidence reposed in him for granted.
Despite the declaration of Dekeri as the winner, the conflicting outcomes of the primary election have raised concerns about the credibility of the process and the ability of the APC to present a united front in the upcoming governorship election.
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