A House of Representatives member, Dennis Idahosa, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Edo State Governorship election.
Governor Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the Edo State Governorship Primary Election Committee, declared Idahosa as the APC flagbearer in Benin City today after he garnered over 40,000 votes in the party’s primary election.
“This is so therefore to satisfy that Honorable Dennis Idaho having scored the highest number of votes cast is hereby declared the winner of the primaries and is returned as the candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) for the coming election,” Uzodimma said.
Idahosa expressed gratitude to God and his party supporters, emphasizing the need for reconciliation among party members.
“I want to dedicate this victory to God Almighty, the creator of Heaven and Earth. Because it’s only God who gives power and the people of Edo under the platform of APC have spoken loud and clear,” the member representing Ovia Federal Constituency said, calling for reconciliation.
“I have won the election, and the time of trouble is over. This is the time for reconciliation. For those I have contested with, we are brothers, we are one family. I’m going to start the reconciliation process immediately because I need all of them to win the general election.
“So on that note, I want to thank the people of Edo State, thank APC, thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and also thank the members of NWC. ”
Prior to the announcement, there was a disruption during the collation exercise by suspected thugs, leading to a change in venue.
Despite some confusion regarding the collation venue, Governor Uzodimma clarified that Idahosa was rightfully declared the winner.
Additionally, the APC dispelled fears of a parallel poll and affirmed that only the results declared by the Uzodimma committee would be recognized.
“We wish to state categorically that only the Governor Hope Uzodinma-Led Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee is duly authorised to undertake the final collation and announcement of results of the Primary Election in the State,” the party’s spokesman Felix Morka said in a statement.
“We urge all party members, officials in the State, and the general public to disregard the said announcement of results by these unauthorized persons.”
Earlier, some members of the APC in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State told Channels Television that the election was peaceful.
The APC had a few days back cleared twelve aspirants to contest the party’s primary election. But Osagie Ize-Iyamu who flew the APC flag in the 2020 governorship poll withdrew from the race on the eve of the exercise.
