Edo APC Primary: Aggrieved Party Members Storm National Secretariat, Reject Okpebholo As Governorship Candidate

Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Edo State stormed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Monday to voice their opposition to Senator Monday Okpebholo being declared the winner of the rescheduled Edo governorship primary election.

The APC members assert that Okpebholo’s declaration not only contravenes the law but also breaches the party’s constitution.

The party members referred to last Thursday’s governorship primary as a blatant act of theft.

The governorship primary election, which took place on February 17 under the supervision of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, resulted in the emergence of three candidates: Dennis Idahosa, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and Anamero Dekeri.

In light of these events, the party leadership decided to remove Uzodinma from his position as chairman of the primary election and appointed Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State as his replacement.

During the protest in Abuja on Monday, the leader of the group, Innocent Ogedengbe, addressed journalists and demanded the party restore Idahosa’s mandate.

Ogedengbe stressed that the primary held on February 22, 2024, did not adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

According to him, aspirants were not given equal opportunities to be voted for by party members at the designated centres in the wards of Edo State.

He further alleged that party members who were present to vote did not have their votes recorded by any recognized office of the party’s National Secretariat.

Ogendengbe further argued that the result sheets used were completed in the National Secretariat of the party as they did not flow from the reality on the ground in Edo State.

“The said primaries of February 17th and 22nd, 2024, were not conducted by open secret ballot by APC as required by relevant provisions of the APC constitution, and the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo is not only unlawful but a gross violation of the APC constitution.

“Our strong prayer is that the injustice perpetrated by the Governor Bassey Otu committee be set aside by the party and Hon. Dennis Idahosa will be rightfully declared winner on the strength of available extant documentary evidence,” the Daily Post quoted Ogendengbe as saying.