A member of the House Representatives, Hon. Dennis Idahosa has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election, which took place on Saturday in Benin City, the state capital.
He polled 40,483 votes to defeat Senator Monday Okpebholo (Edo Central) who had 100 votes; and will fly the party’s flag in the 21st September governorship election.
The declaration was affirmed by the leader of the elected delegates, Mr. Charity Amayaenvbo.
Announcing the results, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who is also the chairman of the APC primary election committee, said that, having polled the highest number of votes among the nine aspirants, Idahosa becomes the candidate for the party.
Idahosa represents Ovia federal constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
He said there was a mix-up on where the secretariat of the committee was, noting that the Protea Hotel, and not the Lushville Hotel, where results were announced earlier today, was the authentic secretariat.
An excited Idahosa dedicated his victory to God and the party supporters.
“I want to dedicate this victory to God Almighty, the creator of Heaven and Earth. Because it’s only God who gives power and the people of Edo under the platform of APC have spoken loud and clear,” the member representing Ovia federal constituency said, calling for reconciliation.
“I have won the election, and the time of trouble is over. This is the time for reconciliation. For those I have contested with, we are brothers, we are one family. I’m going to start the reconciliation process immediately because I need all of them to win the general election.
“So on that note, I want to thank the people of Edo State, thank APC, thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and also thank the members of NWC (National Working Committee)”.
Before the announcement, there was some drama as suspected thugs disrupted the collation exercise, forcing the election committee to change venue.
The suspected thugs had invaded the venue, and thrown away cameras belonging to journalists, leading to officials and the pressmen scampering for safety.
But Uzodimma explained that there was a mix-up about the collation venue. He said Idahosa was declared the winner at the right venue.
In the wake of the declaration, the APC State Returning Officer, Ogbuaja Stanley Uzoamaka declared Okpebholo as the party’s governorship flagbearer.
The group condemned Uzodimma’s declaration, claiming that his office as chairman of the election committee is only ceremonial
However, the ruling APC said it would only recognise the results declared by the Uzodimma committee.
“We wish to state categorically that only the Governor Hope Uzodinma-Led Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee is duly authorised to undertake the final collation and announcement of results of the Primary Election in the state”, the party’s spokesman, Barrister Felix Morka said in a statement.
“We urge all party members, officials in the State, and the general public to disregard the said announcement of results by these unauthorised persons”.
Earlier, some members of the APC in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State told Channels Television that the election was peaceful.
A few days ago, the party cleared 12 aspirants to contest the primary election. But Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who flew the party’s flag in the 2020 governorship poll, and a former Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Imasuen withdrew from the race hours to the exercise.
