Edo 2024: APC backtracks, declares primary inconclusive

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared Saturday’s primary election in Edo State inconclusive.

The exercise, which triggered controversy, had produced three different candidates.

While a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, was announced winner by the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma, at Protea Hotel, Benin, Senator Monday Okpebholo was declared winner by the Returning Officer for the election which held at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, still in Benin City.

Later, the spokesman of the local government returning officers, Ojo Babatunde, declared the member representing Etsako Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Anamero Sunday Dekeri, winner of the poll.

The development triggered protest in the state as some youths and women stormed the party’s secretariat, on Monday, and chased away members of the State Working Committee led by Jarret Tenabe.

However, things took a dramatic turn when Dekeri stormed the party’s national secretariat and demanded certificate of return from Abdullahi Ganduje, national chairman of the ruling party.

Dekeri had claimed he polled the highest number of votes in Saturday’s exercise.

Ganduje had summoned an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) on Tuesday night.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, which lasted for about three hours, APC national publicity secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, said, “The NWC resolves that the Edo State governorship primary election has not been completed and has now fixed Thursday, February 22, 2024 for the completion of the APC primary election process.”

He however, declined to answer questions after reading the short text of the press conference.