Edo APC preferred candidates set to emerge as party conducts peaceful primaries

From Tony Osauzo, Benin

The preferred candidates of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Monday Okpebholo are expected to emerge following the peaceful conduct of primaries for the House of Representatives seats in Edo State.

In Oredo federal constituency, former Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, emerged as the candidate for the election, while the incumbent, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion, emerged as the candidate for the Ovia Federal Constituency.

In Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, the chairman of the APC, Mr Monday Oseh, said the exercise was smooth and that the party’s preferred candidate emerged.

The Returning Officer, Kassim Otono, who announced the results, said Oladele Bankole-Balogun scored 3,368 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Paul Afeghase, who scored 1,663 votes and Adetutu Owolabi, who scored 793 votes.

“I am moving round monitoring the exercise, everywhere is calm, we don’t have any issues at all. We will have a peaceful exercise and the results would be declared”, he said.

In Etsako federal constituency, Embassy Momodu, an aide to the preferred aspirant for the Etsako Federal Constituency and the incumbent Representative, Hon. Anamero Dakeri, popularly called Danco, said he has already been declared the winner and emerged as the candidate of the party. He defeated four other aspirants.

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, declared yesterday that the party had conducted the freest and fairest primary election ever held by any party in the state.

He said the party prepared for the outcome, adding that a few days ago, we issued a statement directing all card-carrying members of the party to participate in the exercise.

“The exercise has been free so far. It tells you how the APC is prepared for the 2027 elections. We are putting forward our first eleven for the House of Representatives, and we will repeat that in all other primaries.

“The outcome of this primary shows that we are a very serious political party with our eyes on the ball.

“We are determined to ensure that our promised 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu come 2027 is real,” Tenebe stressed.