From Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Political drama played out in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, when Senator Monday Okpebholo and the Ovia Federal Constituency House of Representatives member, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, both emerged governorship candidates in the parallel primary elections held for the September 21, 2024 election.
In the election supervised by the seven-man APC Governorship Primaries Committee, Hon. Dennis Idahosa was announced as the winner by the Chairman of the committee and Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, who 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 were 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 satisfy that Hon. Dennis Idahosa, having secured the highest votes is hereby declared the winner of the primaries”, Governor 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. Another delegate, Charles Oronsaye, seconded the motion.
Earlier in the day at another venue, Lushville Hotel in Benin, some officials of the party had commenced announcement of what appeared to be parallel governorship primaries results, when some persons suspected to be thugs numbering over 100 stormed the venue at Gapiona, GRA, Benin City, and disrupted the collation and announcement exercise.
The Local Government Returning Officers had just finished reading out the results of eight local government areas when the thugs stormed the venue to chase out everyone.
As at that moment, 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.
Journalists were however surprised that despite the presence of armed security personnel at the venue, the thugs were able to wreak havoc on them.
Barely hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primaries Election Committee for Edo State headed by Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, declared Hon. Dennis Idahosa winner of the election, a Returning Officer of the party, Dr. Stanley Ugboaje announced Senator Monday Okpephole winner of the same election at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in Benin City yesterday evening.
In the parallel primary election, Sen. Monday Okpepholo polled 12,145 votes while Idahosa scored 5,536 votes to emerge second.
“I hereby certify that Monday Okpepholo, having scored the highest votes, is declared winner and duly returned as APC candidate for the election”, Ugboaje said.