The demonstration comes barely two days after Idahosa threatened to drag the ruling party to court for allegedly robbing him of his mandate.
The lawmaker was one of the 11 aspirants who lost out in the poll that produced Senator Monday Okpebholo as the candidate of the party ahead of the September governorship election in the state.
The demonstrators, who blocked the main gate of the national secretariat, demanded to see the National Chairman of APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, to demand justice.
While flaunting different protest banners and placards, they alleged that the shadow poll did not follow the Constitution of the party and further appealed to the National Working Committee to revert to the initial February 17 primary.
In the said election, Idahosa and two other aspirants were declared winners, an act that forced the leadership of the party to declare the poll inconclusive.
But Idahosa supporters claimed the election was fixed to favour Okpebholo.
Addressing newsmen at the secretariat on Monday, the leader of the protesters, Innocent Ogedengbe argued that the conduct of the rerun poll was contrary to what is contained in the Electoral Act and Constitution of the APC.
He said, “The said primaries of 22nd February 2024 did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as aspirants were not given equal opportunities of being voted for by party members at the designated centres at the wards that make up Edo State. The party members present to vote did not have their votes cast recorded by any known office of the party’s National Secretariat.
“Quite clearly the result sheets used were completed in the National Secretariat of the party as it did not flow from the reality on the ground in Edo State.
“The said primaries of 17th and 22nd February 2024 were not conducted by open secret ballot by APC as required by relevant provisions of APC constitution and the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo is not only unlawful but a crass violation of the APC constitution.
“Our strong prayer is that the injustice perpetrated by the Governor Otu committee be set aside by the party and Hon. Dennis Idahosa be rightfully declared winner on the strength of available extant documentary evidence. Let justice be done.”
