By Ayodele Oni
Following protests and rejection which trailed the outcome of the Edo State Governorship Primary Election, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has been removed as Chairman of the Edo State Gubernatorial Election Committee.
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) National Working Committee, (NWC)Â which fixed Thursday for fresh election, after it declared the previous one inconclusive, appointed Cross River state Governor Bassey Otu, who was Uzodinma’s Deputy, in previous Committee as Chairman.
A revised list issued on Wednesday and signed by Suleiman Argungu, National Organising Secretary of the Party, confirmed the development in a statement on Abuja.
Alhaji Rabiu Suleiman retained his position as Secretary of the panel.
Shettima Sheu replaced the Imo State Governor in the panel, which also has a former Osun State Deputy Governor as a member.
Earlier a statement on Monday signed by Ize-Iyamu, Chief Lucky Imasuen, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and General Charles Airhiavbere (retd), noted that the Imo State Governor, who incidentally is the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, supervision of the weekend election that has been declared inconclusive by the party national secretariat, breached provisions of the Electoral Act and the APC Constitution.
They, therefore, demanded that Senator Uzodinnma not be allowed to head the panel that would conduct the fresh primary.
“We strongly believe that whatever was responsible for his flagrant disregard for due process and unusual hasty declaration of unconfirmed fictitious results of the primaries outside the designated collation centre may not have abated from his mind and, therefore, may be repeated if given the opportunity to play the same role as chairman in the process.
“In the circumstances, we are calling on Mr President to kindly use his good offices to replace Senator Hope Uzodinma with any other respected member of our great party as chairman.
“Furthermore, we believe that this is the only way to remedy the ridicule and embarrassment that Uzodinma’s tactless and overzealous behaviour, which in the view of keen observers of happenings in the ongoing process of nominating a viable candidate of our party, runs within the borderline of mischief and clotted with antidemocratic vestments, unknown to law.”
