Onobun protests primary result as winners receive certificate of return

From Tony Osauzo, Benin

Despite judging conduct of the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election as one of the freest and fairest by organisers, former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and member representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben constituency at the House of Representatives,  Marcus Onobum, yesterday cried foul, alleging irregularities that led his opponent to be declared the winner instead of him.

This is as chairman of the Primaries Committee for the state, Muhammed Ajana, announced the winners in the nine federal constituencies and issued them certificates of return at the State Secretariat of the APC, saying there was no recorded negative incidence in any of the places.

Those declared winners were Dr. Paddy Iyamu for Oredo Federal Constituency, Omosede Igbinedion for Ovia Federal Constituency, Felix Osazee Igbinovia, Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency, Billy Osawaru for Uhunmwonde/Orhionmwon Federal Constituency,

Others were Odianosen Okojie for Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency, Dr. Lucky Eseigbe for Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency, Oladele Bankole-Balogun for Akoko-Edo for Federal Constituency,  Anamero Sunday Dekeri for Etsako Federal Constituency and Andrew Ijegbai for Owan Federal Constituency.

Ajana stated that members of his committee did not sit in the state capital but were sent to the fields for the elections.

The state chairman of the APC, Jarret Tenebe, said the outcome of the primary confirmed the promise he made that the process would be peaceful.

But Onobun, who protested the result of the primary for Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Constituency in a petition, said he took his petition to the State secretariat of the party but could not find any official to receive it.

He said what happened was a sham as he won the election and not Eseigbe.

“I am here at the Party State Secretariat in Benin to submit a petition to the Primary Election Committee as well as the Appeal Committee.

“As you all know, yesterday the 16th of May 2026 we had our primaries in my federal constituency and everybody came out en masse to vote for me and I began to see online that some people are brandishing results of our party alleging that somebody has won the election.”