From Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Ovia Federal Constituency House of Representatives member, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, yesterday, emerged the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the September 21 Edo State governorship election following the conduct of the party’s gubernatorial primaries.

Chairman of the party’s Seven-man Governorship Primaries Committee and Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, who announced the result, said Idahosa scored 40, 453 votes to emerge winner.

He announced the scores of other aspirants as: Clem Agba, 100 votes; Sen. Monday Okpebholo, 100 votes; Hon. Dekeri Anamero, 2,030 votes; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who earlier withdrew, 2 votes; Engr. Gideon Ikhine, 700 votes and Col. David Imuse, 400 votes.

Others are Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, 162 votes; Sen. Oserheimen Osunbor, 180 votes; Blessing Agbomhere, 50 votes; Dr. Afolabi Umakhihe, 2 votes and Lucky Imasuen, 2 votes.

Governor Uzodinma explained that members of the Committee arrived Benin on Friday and had critical discussions with all stakeholders and conducted the primaries yesterday.

The governor who declared the result at Protea Hotel in Benin, said “This is the secretariat where results were collated and are being announced.

“This is therefore to satify that Hon. Dennis Idahosa, having secured the highest votes is hereby declared the winner of the primaries”, Governor Sen. Uzodinma said.

Shortly after, one the party’s elected delegates, Charity Amayaenvbo, moved a motion to affirm the election of Hon. Dennis Idahosa as the party’s governorship candidate. His motion was seconded by another delegate, Charles Oronsaye.

Earlier in the day at another venue, Lushville Hotel in Benin, some officials of the party had commenced announcement of what appears to be parallel governorship primaries results,
some persons suspected to be thugs numbering over 100 stormed the venue at Gapiona, GRA, Benin City, where they disrupted the Collation and announcement exercise.

The Local Government Returning Officers have just finished reading out the results of eight local government areas when thugs stormed the venue to chase out everyone.

At this time, Senator Monday Okpebholo, had already been declared winner in six local government areas while Dennis Idahosa won two out of the eight earlier announced.

The thugs beat up Journalists covering the exercise and destroyed their cameras, warning that they don’t want to see anybody.

Journalists were however surprised that despite the presence of armed security personnel at the venue, the thugs were able to wreak havoc on them.