The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the Edo State governorship primary election inconclusive.
This was disclosed in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Felix Morka, on Tuesday night while announcing the party’s stand on last Saturday’s contentious primary election.
An emergency National Working Committee meeting was convened by the party on Tuesday night, to settle matters that arose from the primary conducted by the Senator Hope Uzodimma-led committee.
The party noted that it will hold another primary election on Thursday, February 22, 2024, to determine its flagbearer for the September 2024 governorship election in the state.
Morka said, “At its emergency meeting held today, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to consider the report on the Edo State Governorship Primary Election, the National Working Committee (NWC) deliberated on the report and resolved that the Edo State Governorship Primary Election has not been completed, and has now fixed Thursday, February 22, 2024, for the completion of the Primary Election Process.”
The APC governorship primary in Edo last Saturday was marked by drama, with two additional candidates vying for the party ticket after the primary election committee’s chairman, Uzodimma, declared Dennis Idahosa the winner.
Despite this declaration, the returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, later announced Monday Okpebholo as the rightful candidate, while Anamero Dekeri also staked a claim to the ticket.
Before the primary, three out of the 12 cleared aspirants, namely Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Lucky Imasuen, and Ernest Umakhihe, withdrew from the race.
Dissatisfied aspirants later staged a protest at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, expressing their discontent with the conduct of the primary.
