.As Idahosa emerges winner.
Contoversies and protests have trailed the All Progressives Congress election held in Benin, Edo State on Saturday as unapproved and conflicting results which leaked out to the public has been rejected by the party leadership.
Shortly before the congress started, some aspirants including Chief Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Ernest Umakhihe and Lucky Imasuen announced their immediate withdrawn from the race in protest after complaining that the process was skewed to favour a particular candidate.
The aspirants accused the Hope Uzodinma Congress Election Committee of open bias and lack of transparency before pulling out in protest.
By Saturday evening, the APC leadership issued a statement signed by Barrister Felix Morka,
National Publicity Secretary denouncing the announcement of some people as winners in the congress saying only the committee has the right to make such announcements.
“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.
Later by midnight on Saturday however, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a press release signed by Edwin Olofu, Chief Press Secretary to the National Chairman said Ganduje was satisfied with the outcome of the election and has congratulated Dennis Idahosa, a serving House of Representatives member, for emerging as APC flag-bearer while also commending Hope Uzodinma’s election committee for doing a good job.
According to the statement, the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje congratulated the winner of the Edo State governorship primary election Hon Dennis Idahosa.
Ganduje, in the statement, urged Idahosa to carry all aspirants along so as to deliver the party at the fourth governorship election in Edo State.
The National Chairman equally commended Governor Uzodinma’s Election Committee, noting that its transparency in the conduct of the election is highly commendable.
Ganduje urged all aspirants to put aside their differences now that the primary election is over and join hands with the winner to deliver the party at the election.
“I want to congratulate the winner of the Edo State governorship election, I want to equally commend and appreciate Governor Hope Uzodinma’s election committee for their hard work and the transparent manner in which the primary election was conducted. At this point, I want to call on all the aspirants to bury the hatchet and work for the interest of the party so that our party will emerge victorious.”
The National chairman also commended all the party stakeholders and assured that the party will do everything possible to ensure that Edo state is delivered to the party.
