APC Rerun: Tinubu wants free, fair direct primaries in Edo, says Oshiomole

Kunle Sanni

Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North at the Senate, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu desires a free and fair rerun primary election for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in the state.

Westernpost reported that the APC in Edo State announced that the gubernatorial primary elections were inconclusive.

In a statement issued by the party’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka on Tuesday said the party said it fixed Thursday, February 22 for the completion of the primaries.

He said the decision was reached by the National Working Committee (NWC) who deliberated on a report on the conduct of the primaries.

On February 17, a poll was conducted where three winners emerged. The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the primary, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state, declared Dennis Idahosa as the winner.

Meanwhile, the returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, announced Monday Okpebholo as the winner. However, Ojo Babatunde, who claimed to represent the returning officers in all the local governments, declared Anamero Dekeri as the winner of the election, leading to confusion.

As a result, both Dekeri and Okpebholo wrote to the appeal committee of the party to demand their certificates of return.

Despite the conflicting results, another aspirant, Oserheimen Osunbor, insisted that no election was held in the state.

Addressing State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday after a meeting with Tinubu, Oshiomhole said he came to seek clarification from the president on rumours regarding the primary.

The former governor of Edo state said Tinubu is not in support of zoning the APC governorship ticket in the state.

He said, “The president has affirmed that he has no voting right in Edo state. Even though the Edo people have the right to vote for the president, therefore, what matters to him is to ensure that APC members in Edo state in the direct primaries, participate in the free and fair primaries,

“That is the decision of the president. There have been rumours in the air that there is probably zoning to one area or zoning to another area.

“The president said that as far as he is concerned, he is committed only to free and fair primaries not based on zoning because you don’t do zoning on the eve of the primary.

“If there’s going to be zoning those involved in the decision will have to be so comprehensive that the people of the state understand it. And number two, if you have zoning, you will not allow people who are not from the particular zone to procure forms.”