In a significant turn of events within the Edo State political arena, Senator Monday Okpebholo representing Edo Central has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship direct primary election.
The declaration of Okpebholo’s win was made by the Chairman of the Edo APC shadow poll, Cross River Governor Bassey Otu, following the meticulous collation of results from all 18 local government areas. The announcement ceremony took place at the Lushville Hotel and Suites in the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin.
Senator Okpebholo secured a total of 12,433 votes, surpassing his closest contender, Dennis Idahosa, the representative of Ovia constituency in the House of Representatives, who garnered 6,541 votes.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Okpebholo, positioning him as the APC’s gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming electoral contest in Edo State.
The primary election comes in the aftermath of a contentious and inconclusive primary held the previous week, overseen by Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Following disputes over the premature declaration of Dennis Idahosa as the winner, the APC National Working Committee intervened, declaring the initial primary inconclusive.
Governor Uzodimma had claimed that Idahosa led the gubernatorial race with 40,483 votes, a figure contested by party members.
The rerun of the primary election not only addresses the contentious issues that marred the previous attempt but also reaffirms the APC’s commitment to a transparent and democratic selection process for its candidates.
