The Edo Central Senatorial District representative, Senator Monday Okpebholo, emerged as the victor of the Edo State All Progressives Congress governorship fresh primary election following three demanding days of the electoral process.
The collation and announcement of results occurred on Friday morning at Lushville Hotel and Suites, Government Reservation Area, Benin.
Chairing the Edo APC fresh poll was the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, who declared the results after consolidating the data from the 18 local government areas’ returning officers who oversaw the poll across the 192 wards of the state.
Okpebholo secured 12,433 votes, triumphing over Dennis Idahosa, the representative of Ovia constituency in the House of Representatives, who garnered 6,541 votes.
Following the cancellation of the primary election held on Saturday due to disputes over three aspirants claiming victory, the party’s National Working Committee ordered a fresh election on Thursday.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, the former Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the primary, announced Dennis Idahosa as the winner, while the returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, declared Monday Okpebholo as the rightful candidate.
Amidst the ongoing post-primary election crisis within the party, a group of disgruntled youths and women seized the party secretariat last Monday, demanding the removal of the state working committee, led by acting Chairman Jarret Tenebe, due to the controversies surrounding Saturday’s election.
Protesting against the conduct of the officials during the primary election, which resulted in three winners, the crowd, led by the party’s Youth Leader, Tony Adun, alias Kabaka, expressed their dissatisfaction, accusing the executive members of working against the party.
Expressing gratitude to his supporters for the nomination, Okpebholo urged party members to unite and strive towards securing victory for the APC in the upcoming September elections.
He emphasized, “I am thankful to the party members who nominated me, and I assure them of my dedication. It is crucial that we rally together as a party to win the September 21 election. This victory signifies a triumph for democracy,” he concluded.
Furthermore, on Friday, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, clinched the governorship primary of the Edo State Labour Party, emerging as the party’s candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Akpata, with a total of 316 votes, secured a substantial lead over his competitors, with Mr. Ken Imansuagbon and Professor Sunny Eromosele, the closest aspirants, scoring seven votes each.
Other candidates like Sergius Ògún received four votes, Mr. Earnest Àyègbè got three votes, with Paul Iseghohi withdrawing from the race.
The Chief Returning Officer of the election and deputy governor of Abia State, Emechulu Ikechukwu, emphasized that the party symbolized truth, hard work, and transparency.
During his acceptance speech, Olumide Akpata paid tribute to the late Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, whom he regarded as “my predecessor, elder brother, and mentor,” promising to uphold the late governor’s principles if elected.
Conversely, one of the aspirants in Thursday’s All Progressives Congress governorship primary election, Anamero Dekeri, rejected the outcome of the primary that designated Senator Monday Okpebholo as the party’s candidate.
Dekeri, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Etsako Federal Constituency, accrued 2,566 votes compared to Okpebholo’s 12,433 votes. He alleged that the primaries were conducted without transparency and favored Okpebholo unfairly.