The governorship primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State ended in crisis as two aspirants emerged, and laying claims to the party’s ticket.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has slated September 21, 2024, for the governorship election in the State.
Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, who was the chairman of the election committee, had earlier at Protea Hotel, declared Dennis Idahosa as the winner of the election with 40,453 votes, while Senator Monday Okpebholo reportedly polled 100 votes.
That was after thugs invaded the Lushville Hotel collation centre at the time the collation of results was ongoing by the various local government returning officers.
The hoodlums reportedly disrupted the exercise and attacked journalists, electoral officers, and party faithful at the hotel. They ended up chasing the electoral officers out of the venue.
However, the State Returning Officer for the primary election, Dr Ugbaja Stanley Uzoamaka, declared Senator Monday Okpebholo the winner with 12,145 votes, adding that Honourable Dennis Idahosa scored 5,536 votes.
Uzoamaka said a total of 42,381 delegates, who are financial members of the party, were vetted during the revalidation exercise.
He said that 29,881 delegates were accredited for the primary, while the total votes were still from 29,881 delegates.
Meanwhile, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Peter Uwadia, described the announcement of Dennis Idahosa as the winner of the primary by Governor Hope Uzodinma as null and void and with no political effect.
Uwadia said in line with the party constitution, that Governor Uzodimma was just the chairman of the electoral committee and not the returning officer.
He opined that the only person who is constitutionally empowered to announce the results of the primary is the electoral officer and not the chairman of the committee.
He disclosed that five members of the party who were attacked and wounded are currently receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals.
In his acceptance speech, 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.