Edo APC crisis deepens as two candidates emerge governorship candidate

• Upon the completion of the primary, two candidates were declared winner creating confusion among members of the party and the public.

The crisis bedeviling the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State worsens yesterday following the completion of the party’s primary election to elect its candidate for the state gubernatorial poll slated for September 21, 2024.

Upon the completion of the primary, two candidates were declared winner creating confusion among members of the party and the public.

Within Nigeria had reported that Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who was the chairman of the election committee, had earlier on Saturday, at Protea Hotel, declared Dennis Idahosa the winner of the election

According to him, Idahosa garnered 40,453 votes, while Senator Monday Okpebholo reportedly polled 100 votes.

However, thugs were said to have stormed the Lushville Hotel collation centre at the time the collation of results was ongoing by the various local government returning officers and disrupted the exercise.

Journalists, electoral officers, and party faithful at the hotel were assaulted during the melee. They were said to have chased the electoral officers out of the venue.

However, Dr Ugbaja Stanley Uzoamaka, the State Returning Officer for the primary election, declared Senator Monday Okpebholo the winner with 12,145 votes and added that Honourable Dennis Idahosa scored 5,536 votes.

Uzoamaka said a total of 42,381 delegates who were financial members of the party were vetted during the revalidation exercise.

He added that 29,881 delegates were accredited for the primary, while the total votes were still from 29,881 delegates.

Speaking with newsmen, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Peter Uwadia, scoffed at the declaration of Dennis Idahosa as the winner of the primary by Governor Hope Uzodinma.

He stated that Uzodinma action was against the constitution of the party, hence it’s null and void and with no political effect.

He explained that Governor Uzodimma was just the chairman of the electoral committee and not the returning officer, who is the only one constitutionally empowered to announce the results of the primary.

He disclosed that five members of the party who were attacked and wounded are currently receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals.

In his acceptance remarks, Senator Monday Okpebholo, commended the delegates for the primary, noting that the exercise was peaceful across the 192 wards in the 18 local government areas before thugs were allegedly sponsored to invade the collation centre