Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Suyi Ayodele
Published on 2024-02-23 17:27:37
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently in a state of unrest after one of the top contenders in the party’s governorship primary, Mr. Anamero Dekeri, rejected the results that declared Senator Monday Okpebholo as the party’s candidate. Dekeri, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Etsako Federal Constituency, scored 2,566 votes compared to Okpebholo’s 12,433 votes.
Immediately after Governor Basset Otu of Cross River State announced Okpebholo as the winner, Dekeri expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome and vowed to challenge it at the appeal panel. He raised concerns about the lack of transparency during the primaries and alleged that the process was biased in favor of Okpebholo. Dekeri, also known as Danco, questioned how he could go from mobilizing over 65,000 votes to receiving just above 2,000 votes.
The primary election held on Friday was a rescheduled one, as the initial primaries held the previous day had produced three candidates: Okpebholo, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, and Dekeri himself. However, the results were canceled by the National Working Committee due to irregularities, including the removal of Governor Hope Uzodinma as the Chairman of the Primaries Committee. The rescheduled primary took place from Thursday to Friday, culminating in Okpebholo being declared the winner.
The final results, announced by Governor Otu after collating votes from 18 local government areas, showed Okpebholo leading with 12,433 votes. The other aspirants received the following votes: Blessing Agbomhere (731), Charles Airhiavbere (1,181), Ize-Iyamu (378), Dennis Idahosa (6,541), Clem Agba (2,732), Lucky Imansuen (493), David Imuse (423), Oserhiemen Osunbor (634), Gideon Ikhine (728), Anamero Dekeri (2,566), and Ernest Umakhine (2,117).
Otu declared Okpebholo as the winner, stressing the need for party unity to secure victory in the upcoming governorship election on September 21st. He commended the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for their role in the primaries and called on all party members to support Okpebholo. The victory marked the end of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, according to Mr. Emmanuel Momoh speaking on behalf of Senator Okpebholo.
Senator Okpebholo expressed gratitude for the support and confidence placed in him by party members and promised to focus on infrastructural development if elected governor. He described his victory as a defeat for the PDP and emphasized the need for unity within the APC. Okpebholo’s win was hailed as a collective success for the party, with a message of “no victor, no vanquished” resonating among members.
In conclusion, the aftermath of the APC governorship primary in Edo State highlights the challenges and tensions within the party as they prepare for the upcoming election. The rejection of the results by Dekeri and the subsequent victory of Okpebholo underscore the need for transparency and unity within the party to ensure success in the political landscape.
Read the original article on Nigerian Tribune
