As confusion continued to trail the outcome of the just concluded All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, representing Edo Central, insisted that he defeated his closest rival, Honourable Dennis Idahosa.

While Imo State Governor and Chairman of the seven-man primary panel, Senator Hope Uzodinnma, announced the Honourable Idahosa as the winner, State Returning Officer Dr Stanley Ugboaja declared Senator Okpebholo as the winner with the highest number of votes and, ultimately, the APC standard bearer.

Senator Okpebholo, in a statement on Monday, declared that he won the primary with over 6,000 votes.

The Edo Central lawmaker maintained that although thugs disrupted the collation, the final tally shows that he won convincingly with a commanding majority.

He urged his supporters to remain calm and rest assured that justice would be served at the end of the day.

Senator Okpebholo said he was convinced that the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who at the weekend had earlier congratulated Honourable Idahosa as the winner, would do the needful and issue him a Certificate of Return, as he noted that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission observed the primary where he emerged as the APC candidate.

He said, “Let me use this opportunity to thank and appreciate all APC members of Edo State for nominating me as the party’s candidate for the governorship election in September 2024. I am immensely humbled by the trust and confidence reposed in me.

“You will recall that the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, APC, nominated highly reputable officials to officiate in the primary election scheduled for February 17, 2024, with Dr. Stanley Ugboaja as the State Returning Officer.

“After the primary election, which was adjudged to be very peaceful, the collation of results commenced at the designated centre by the collation officials in the presence of INEC officials, the press, the law enforcement agencies, and other party stewards.

“Surprisingly, while the collation of results was ongoing and upon the declaration of eight (8) local governments, some irate thugs, suspectedly commissioned by my closest rival, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, who had only won two (2) local governments as against my six (6), stormed the venue of the state collation centre and disrupted the process by beating up collation officials, party representatives, the press crew, and others.

“To my amazement and that of well-meaning members of our great party in Edo State, information currently reaching me from Benin City, Edo State, has it that the same thugs led by Tony Kabaka, who disrupted the collation of results as earlier stated, also invaded the State Secretariat of the party early this morning, destroying and looting valuables in the offices in the guise of purportedly looking for the result of the primary election, which was never conducted by the State Executives of the party.

“Let me use this opportunity to commend the State Returning Officer, Dr Stanley Ugboaja, and other members of the Committee for their resilience in continuing the collation and subsequent official declaration of final results after the urgent medical attention rendered to the injured members.

“It is now on record that the total votes scored by me are twelve thousand one hundred and forty-five (12,145) as against my closest rival, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, who scored only five thousand, five hundred and thirty-six votes (5,536)

“As a result, I enjoin you not to be deterred by rumours from other quarters, as I am very optimistic that justice will prevail in the end. I am convinced that the National Working Committee of our great party, under

“The able leadership of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will ensure that truth prevails over falsehood. I remain loyal to my party and to Mr President, a universally acknowledged Democrat and a man of goodwill who is prepared to change the fortunes of our dear nation.

“I am also convinced beyond doubt that our great party, the APC, is well positioned to reclaim Edo State and set her on the path of sustainable & holistic development in line with Mr President’s transformation agenda.

“Let me use this medium to plead with all those affected by the unprovoked attack to shield their swords, as two wrongs cannot make a right. This is an in-house squabble and should be treated as such,” he said. (Nigerian Tribune)

Update news