Uzodimma Mum As Edo APC Counters His Declaration With New Result

Governor Hope Uzodimma, chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC primary election committee in Edo State has remained mum after the state chapter of the party came out late on Saturday to dispute his claim on the emergence of Rep Dennis Idahosa as winner of the primary election.

GWG.ng reports that Gov Uzodimma had declared Idahosa as having won but without giving specific details and countering the earlier results as were being declared by the returning officer of the election before thugs invaded the venue.

Senator Monday Okpebholo was leading at that point with victory in six of the eight local government areas declared.

Giving the full details of the primary election following the declaration of the returning officer, the Edo State publicity secretary of the APC, Prince Peter Igbinige in a statement said:

*CLARIFYING THE EDO APC GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY ELECTION 2024*

The attention of the state working committee of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has been drawn to some publications wherein the authors aimed at distorting the facts surrounding the conduct and outcome of today’s  gubernatorial primary elections that held in the 192 wards of the 18 local government areas in Edo state.

In order to protect the good people of our state as well as the unsuspecting public from these false information, it has become expedient to clarify every doubt by succinctly elucidating the facts.

In the early hours of this afternoon, the collation and announcement of results began. After the declaration of the results in eight (8) local government areas, with Sen. Monday Okpevbolo in clear lead, irate thugs commissioned by an aspirant stormed the venue of the state collation and disrupted the process by beating up collation officials/representatives of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), who were simply carrying out their legitimate duties. In the process, they dispossessed them of their personal valuables including phones, laptops, cash, and other belongings. But for the timely intervention of courageous party men these innocent officials would have been martyred unjustly. Currently, many are in an undisclosed hospital tending to serious physical injuries.

Most embarrassing, unfortunate and bizarre was the conduct of His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma, the Executive Governor of Imo state who instead of sympathizing with the returning officers, abandoned them, singlehandedly relocated the collation center upon learning that his preferred aspirant wasn’t winning and then assumed the role of the state’s returning officer without recourse to inputs from the local government collation agents as well as the chief returning officer of the exercise. In desperation, he shamelessly appointed one Charity Amayaenvbo, the campaign manager of Hon. Dennis Idahosa to read the results from a piece of paper.

As the Chairman of APC governor’s forum, one would have expected him to retain his status as an umpire, to sue for peace, and not to grossly abuse and ridicule the privilege of his exalted office. Recall that some aspirants had earlier protested his appointment as chairman of this committee.

Nonetheless, after normalcy was restored at the recognized collation centered, with the local government area returning officers and representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the results were declared by the Chief Returning Officer whose responsibility it is to carryout this function as follows:

Sen. Monday Okpevbolo: 12,145 votes

Hon. Dennis Idahosa: 5,536 votes

Mr. Afolabi Umakhihe: 2,090 votes

Gen. Charles Arhiavbere: 919 votes

Dr. Blessing Agbomere: 834 votes

Sen. Oserieme Osunbor: 688 votes

Col. David Imuse: 507 votes

Therefore, it is the desire of the state working committee to reiterate that Sen. Monday Okpevbolo is the duly elected gubernatorial candidate of our great party for the September 2024 governorship election.

Signed:

Prince Peter Enosoregbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq.

State Publicity Secretary

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