The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the Edo State governorship primary election inconclusive.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Felix Morka, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday night to announce the party’s position on the contentious primary held last Saturday.
The ruling party said a new primary will be held on Thursday to determine its flagbearer for the September 2024 governorship election in the state.
The party convened an emergency National Working Committee meeting on Tuesday night to resolve the lingering crisis arising from the primary conducted by the Senator Hope Uzodimma-led committee.
“At its emergency meeting held today, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to consider the report on the Edo State Governorship Primary Election, the National Working Committee (NWC) deliberated on the report and resolved that the Edo State Governorship Primary Election has not been completed, and has now fixed Thursday, February 22, 2024 for the completion of the Primary Election Process.”
Drama had trailed the APC governorship primary in Edo last Saturday as two other candidates laid claim to the ticket of the party after the Chairman of the primary election committee (Uzodimma) declared Dennis Idahosa winner of the primary.
The returning officer for the primary, Stanley Ugboaja, later declared Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected candidate, even as Anamero Dekeri laid claim to the ticket.
Three of the 12 aspirants cleared for the primary had pulled out before the exercise. They are Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Lucky Imasuen and Ernest Umakhihe.
Dissatisfied aspirants had protested the conduct of the primary at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
