Edo: Fmr Gov Calls For Cancellation of APC Primaries, Says Votes Allocated To Idahosa

Former Governor of Edo state, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor has demanded the cancellation of the recent governorship primary election conducted by his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Dennis Idahosa, a member of the House of Representatives was declared the winner of the controversial election by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state, the chairman of the Election Committee.

Since the election was conducted last week, other candidates have also declared themselves winner.

They include Monday Okpebholo and Anamero Dekeri, amongst others.

Declaring Idahosa winner of the election said the aspirant secured 40, 453 votes to beat other aspirants.

Not a few have raised questions in the manner the APC conducted the rancorous primary election, with some saying if the party did not put its house in order it would affect its chances in the governorship election slated for September this year by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Speaking on why the election should be cancelled Osunbor said three candidates cannot emerge to represent the party.

Also, the former governor stated that there was no record that the election was conducted by APC officials sent from Abuja to do so, adding that “there is no record or video of any of them preforming their assigned roles in the election.”

Osunbor who spoke to journalists in Benin the state’s capital said what happened was the “allocation of votes by some persons in Benin to each of the aspirants.”

He said in part: “There is no record or video of any of them preforming their assigned roles in the election at their respective designated points.

“Specifically, in my own Ward 6 of Esan LGA, where over 200 members assembled and were eagerly waiting, no electoral official of the party turned up.

“In fact, there was no election anywhere in Esan West and other LGAs including Akoko-Edo  and Etsako West. I was aghast and in disbelief when I saw a video of the purported result of Esan West election being announced by a lady said to be a retuning officer.

“What we saw on television was not result of election but allocation of votes by some persons in Benin to each of the aspirants.

“In the end, two candidates have been announced as winners. Sen. Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Denis Idahosa in a primary election that was never held or was not conducted in accordance with the law and guidelines. This charade confirms the widespread suspicion that there is a deliberate plan by some people to create crises in Edo state APC, instigate bitterness among the members and set the public against the party in order to aid the victory of the presumed PDP candidate.

“They are labouring to present a weak APC candidate that will be easily over-run and defeated by the presumed PDP candidate during the election. They are not working in the interest of APC but of PDP. We must avoid a repeat of the scenario which lead to the defeat of APC in 2020,” Osunbor said.