The All Progressives Congress APC Stakeholders Forum – one of the support groups within the party – has asked the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje to disregard results of Saturday’s Governorship Primary Election in Edo state as declared by the Chairman of the election panel, Gov. Hope Uzodinma.

Local Government returning officers for the primary election, led by Babatunde Ono had on Saturday declared Anamero Dekeri, a serving house of representatives member, winner of the exercise.

The development came after Chairman of the Primary Election Committee and Imo state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma had declared another federal lawmakers Dennis Idahosa winner of the exercise.

On his part, returning Officer of the exercise, Stanley Ugboaja had declared Senator Monday Okpebholo as winner.

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the stakeholders Sunday in Abuja, spokesman of the forum, Mr Emmanuel Godwin said Gov. Uzodinma was not the Chief Returning Officer for the election.

While the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje had congratulated Idahosa, other aspirants and the stakeholders said Ganduje’s “hasty action” was based on misinformation.

APC had on Saturday afternoon asked Nigerians to disregard any result that does not emanate from the Uzodinma committee.

However, the stakeholders have accused the committee of usurping the duties and responsibilities of local government returning officers in the Edo state primaries.

Godwin said; “Let me first of all start by congratulating the winner of the just concluded primary election in Edo state, Hon. Anamero Dekeri for emerging victorious in the just concluded Edo State APC Gubernatorial Elections.

“Hon. Dekeri popularly called DANCO is indeed the man of the people with proven capacity to win the general elections in Edo state across the 18 local governments. The Man with mandate of the people to reclaim Edo state back to the APC in September 21^st, 2024.

“As critical stakeholders of the party, we stand with Hon Dekeri. We stand by him and we want to assure the good people of Edo state that succour is on the way.

The APC edo state needs his statewide popularity, competence and capacity to win Edo State gubernatorial election.

“In this instance, we have been inundated with news that a particular candidate was announced yesterday by His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma who incidentally is the chairman of the primary election committee, Edo state. It is unfortunate that Hope Uzodimma who is not the returning officer in whatever capacity assumed the position and went ahead to announce Dennis Idahosa when the returning officers were still collating the results.

“We wish to therefore state categorically that the purported announcement is null and void and it should be disregarded in its entirety. Governor Uzodinma lacks the power to usurp duties and responsibilities of local government returning officers in the Edo state primaries.

“We call on the National chairman of our great party the APC, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of honour discard Governor Hope Uzodinma’s infamous declaration of one Mr. Denis Idahosa who didn’t win the primaries. This is a man who lacks the capacity and competence to win Edo state gubernatorial election for the APC come September 2024”.

He said It is on record that in a viral video, the state chairman of the party, Jarret Tenebe had remarked that only Anamero Dekeri and Monday Okpebholo were the two aspirants legally qualified to contest the Edo APC primaries held on 27^thFebruary, 2024 because only the duo complied with the APC guidelines on payment of membership validation. (Sunday Vanguard)