A political showdown is unfolding in Edo State, where two aspirants are claiming victory in the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in the state on Saturday.
Dennis Idahosa, a member of the House of Representatives, considered a dark horse in the race, was declared the winner by the Chairman of the party’s election committee, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. He reportedly garnered 40,483 votes in the direct primary involving all registered members of the state, surpassing other contenders.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, the APC State Returning Officer, Ogbuaja Stanley Uzoamaka, announced Senator Monday Okpebholo, who represents Edo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, as the victor of the exercise held in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Saturday.
When asked about the discrepancy between the two announcements, Uzoamaka dismissed Uzodinma’s role as purely ceremonial, insisting that their declaration of Senator Okpebholo’s victory represents the authentic decision of the party.
Adding to the intrigue was a statement from the party’s headquarters supporting the Uzodinma-led committee while disavowing others as “unauthorized persons.”
“The attention of the National Working Committee of our great Party has been drawn to a live broadcast on major national television stations and online news outlets of results of the ongoing Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election by some unauthorized persons.”
“We wish to state categorically that only the Governor Hope Uzodinma-Led Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee is duly authorized to undertake final collation and announcement of results of the Primary Election in the State.”
“We urge all Party members, officials in the State, and the general public to disregard the said announcement of results by these unauthorized persons,” the statement read.
In previous controversies, the court has upheld the party’s authority to oversee its internal processes, including candidate selection, and determine the winner according to its established rules and procedures. This potentially favors Dennis Idahosa, despite the challenge posed by Senator Okpebholo’s parallel claim.
However, the threat his apparent rebellion poses cannot be easily dismissed. Senator Okpebholo commands significant political influence in Edo Central, a region yet to produce a governor for a full term in the state. He has garnered support through the ‘Esan Agenda’ campaign, advocating for a candidate from the region for social equity and balance.
Additionally, Senator Okpebholo is reported to have the backing of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC candidate in the previous election, who also entered the race but withdrew after failing to sway key stakeholders on his candidacy’s viability.
Another prominent aspirant, Prince Clem Agba, has rejected Dennis Idahosa’s victory, alleging irregularities in the primary process, including the disenfranchisement of thousands of party members. He has vowed to contest the outcome in a statement released yesterday.
Observers have interpreted the contest between Dennis Idahosa and Senator Okpebholo as a reflection of the power struggle between Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state and current Senator representing Edo North, and Pastor Ize-Iyamu over the leadership and control of the APC in the state.
