The Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday held a fresh election after the one held last Saturday was canceled after three aspirants claimed victory after the exercise.
The national leadership of the APC declared the primary inconclusive and replaced the chairman of the electoral committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, with the Governor of Cross Rivers State, Bassey Otu.
The fresh poll held on Thursday and at the time of filling this report, party supporters, especially the youths, were at the Lushiville Hotel waiting for the announcement of the result slated for 11 pm.
Stern-looking policemen and soldiers were at the venue to forestall a reoccurrence of what happened on Saturday when thugs attacked party officials and destroyed equipment belonging to journalists.
At the time of filling the report, the committee said that the collation and announcements of results would begin by 11 pm.
However, a stakeholder, who pleaded anonymity, stated that the party was at a crossroads.
“I really don’t know what the party wants to do. How is it possible to have a fresh election under 10 hours as the agreement for a fresh election was reached just after midday on Thursday?
“I hope this will not plunge the party into fresh crisis as we risk not fielding a candidate for the September 21 governorship election in the state.”
In the controversial Saturday poll, Uzodimma announced Dennis Idahosa as the winner, while returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja declared Monday Okpebholo as winner.
Also, Ojo Babatunde, who claimed to be representing the returning officers in all the local government declared Anamero Dekeri as the winner of the election.
However, the post-primary election crisis degenerated on Monday as angry youths and women took over the party secretariat, demanding the sacking of the State Working Committee led by acting chairman, Jarret Tenebe.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, said the party did not sack Uzodimma as erroneously reported.
According to him, the governor was ‘unavoidably unavailable’ to complete the primary election, hence the need to replace him with his deputy.
He said, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to reports in sections of the media suggesting that the Governor of Imo State, and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, 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.”
The immediate-past governor of Ekiti State and ex-Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, hailed the decision to rerun the Edo governorship primary.
Fayemi also accused the former National Chairman of the APC and ex-Edo governor, Adams Oshiomhole, of having a hand in the first primary which ended in a crisis.
Fayemi said, “Earlier, Oshiomhole had attempted to eliminate some aspirants from contesting in the primaries and failed. This is reminiscent of his high-handedness as National Chairman when he manipulatively schemed Governor Godwin Obaseki out of the electoral process. That action led to the unfortunate loss of Edo State by the APC.
“It would appear the ground was being prepared by Oshiomhole yet again for the APC to lose the coming election in Edo State because of his unconscionable behaviour. However, the party has demonstrated independence and impartiality in canceling and reordering the primaries.”
