The national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has declared that the party is on the way to winning Edo State back to the progressive camp.
He said that the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the party’s governorship candidate in the just concluded primary election had put the party on the path to regaining Government House on Dennis Osadebe Avenue, Benin City.
The chairman said this on Saturday in Abuja while presenting a certificate of return to Okpebholo, who won last Thursday’s party’s shadow election.
He noted that a direct mode of election was held in 192 wards in the state with records and video evidence, adding that Okpebholo was declared the winner of the primary because he got the highest votes.
Ganduje also stressed the need for other aspirants in the primary election to work with the party flag bearer to ensure the party’s victory in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
According to the chairman: “the full cooperation, harmony, and unity of all aspirants and members of our party is all we need now to win Edo in the coming election now that the primary is over.
“With the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo, we (APC) are on the way to win Edo State back to the progressive camp.
“We believe the party has a product that is refined, well packaged, and sellable to the electorate in the person of Okpebholo and we are therefore ready to win Edo,” Ganduje said.
Earlier the Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, while presenting Gov. Bassey Otu’s primary election committee’s report to the National Working Committee (NWC) said the exercise was adjudged nationally and internationally to be the most peaceful, fairest, and transparent in the state.
Speaking shortly after receiving his certificate of return, the party’s flag bearer, Sen. Okpebholo commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for walking the talk and renewing the hope of the Edo people by practically defending democracy, as he has always done all his life.
He was also full of praise for Ganduje, the party’s National Chairman, the National Working committee, and our political leaders in Edo State, led by Comrade Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who have piloted the affairs of the party.
While appreciating members of the party and the people’s state, Okpebholo said, “The APC family in Edo State has made a bold statement by choosing good over evil, development over inanities, and love over hate.
“It has been clear to every discerning mind that Edo State has gone on the wrong path of development with its elitist style of governance with little regard for reality.
“The journey to resetting our dear state by strengthening her HEARTBEAT with actionable development begins today with your reposing confidence in me as the flag bearer of our great party, the APC.”
He then called on other aspirants who contested the party’s ticket with him to join forces with him to ensure that the APC won Edo in the coming election slated for Sept. 21.
Also speaking at the event, the former deputy governor of the state, Sen. Lucky Imasuen one of the aspirants who contested the party’s ticket with Okpebholo said the party’s NWC was “hard-working, sincere, and fair in the handling of the Edo primary.”
He also commended the Primary Election Committee for a job well done, assuring that the other aspirants would work hand in hand with Okpebholo to ensure the APC’s victory in the coming Edo governorship election.
Meanwhile, one of the governorship aspirants in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, stormed the national secretariat of the party on Saturday, demanding justice.
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu Ahmed Tinubu to call the National Working Committee (NWC) to order.
Idahosa, who was initially declared the winner of the shadow election by the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, also threatened to drag the party to court if justice is not done.
Addressing newsmen at the main gate of the APC National Secretariat, Hon. Idahosa said, “I am not here to make trouble, I am a lawmaker, but one thing that we want is justice. Today, I might be a young man, but it might be the children of NWC members tomorrow. We have to do the right thing, if we continue to do what is wrong as a country, we are not going to move forward.
“So I am calling on Mr. President to call NWC to order. Elections were held on the 17th of February; what they did on the 22nd was just selection. I challenged one of the LGA returning officers to give me, show me a picture of him in the local government headquarters, where he said he collated the results and was just blabbing. There was nothing because I knew that they were in the same hotel in Benin, and that’s where they wrote all the results.
“So my fellow party members, I am not here to make trouble, I am only here to seek justice. Whatever they have done if it is not properly managed, I have written yesterday to the appeal panel committee, and I know they will do justice. Even if whatever they did, I just want to go through the process. Having exhausted the party’s resolve mechanism, I will go further, I will seek justice in the court of law, and I will not allow this to stand.”