By Eben Enasco
In Edo State, 2024, is an important year in the political space and not many would like a house divided against itself, especially on a year when important election tasks beckon.
At the moment, there is an obvious crack in the structure of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State.
The political hurdles to surmount follow a series of controversies in the aftermath of its primary elections conducted on Saturday, February 17, 2024, where three splinter groups emerged. There arises an urgent need to address the situation head-on as the September gubernatorial election draws closer in the state.
At a press conference on Monday in Benin City, where some concerned APC stakeholders believed that for peace to reign, Governor Hope Uzodinma’s faction that announced Hon. Dennis Idahosa as the winner should not be allowed to stand, citing Electoral Act 2020 as provided by the law as their reason.
They faulted the process that led to his emergence despite laying claims to be the winner of the crisis-ridden APC primaries.
Speaking to Journalists through their Counsel, Douglas Ogbankwa, the the group is convinced that the only recognized results declared by the chief returning officer, Dr. Stanley Uzouamaka Ugboaja is the one that had Senator Monday Okpevbolo as the winner of the Saturday APC primary election.
The argument put up by the concerned stakeholders of the party claimed that the only venue recognized and known to members of the party designated for the collation of the results by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, the electoral umpire was the Lushvill Hotel at Gapiona in the GRA axis Benin City, not Protea Hotel used by the faction led by Governor Uzodinma.
This they further claimed was attended by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, who also in a recent meeting with the press validated the fact of the position as claimed.
They warned that the purported exercise that produced Hon. Dennis Idahosa would have to contend with the position of the law in court, adding that another significant error foresees the votes cast that outnumbered the accredited voters for the primaries.
While stating with untainted equanimity, the group said any other candidate being taunted as the purported candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, outside Senator Monday Okpevbolo presupposes that APC in Edo State does not have a candidate recalling the Rivers and Zamfara states situation that cost the party to lose the governorship elections in both states before the election was held.
The group, however, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress Party, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje to intervene by endorsing the legally returned candidate as enshrined in the Constitution to avoid the Bannani scenario as it was in Adamawa state where the election was voided.
Recall that the APC, conducted its primary election on Saturday, February 17, 2024, to determine who to pitch as the party standard bearer against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is also preparing to retain the seat of power come September.
