Edo: INEC Speaks On Authentic APC Primary Election As Three Candidates Emerge

Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission only monitored the All Progressives Congress governorship primary that took place at the Lushville Hotel and Suites.

The REC disclosed this during a press briefing in Benin City.

It was reported that three governorship candidates were separately announced as winners from parallel primary polls held on Saturday in Benin, ahead of the Edo State governorship election slated for September 21.

While a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, was earlier announced winner by the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma, at Protea Hotel in Benin City, Senator Monday Okpebholo was declared winner by the Returning Officer for the election, Dr Stanley Ugboaja, at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Similarly, the local government returning officers for the APC governorship primary election declared Anamero Sunday Dekeri the winner of the contest.

The Nigerian Voice reported that political thugs invaded Lushville Hotel and Suite, while collation and announcement of results was ongoing, disrupted the exercise, assaulted journalists and destroyed their working tools.

The thugs also beat up APC electoral officers.
Speaking on the development, the REC noted that the Supreme Court has taken a decision on the monitoring of party primaries.

“The national body will write to INEC national chairman of the venue, and the date and the time of the primary, and that we followed strictly.

“Any political party primaries that was not minuted to us by our headquarters, we will not monitor.

“We were notified by APC and we monitored the one we were invited which was at Lushville Hotel. I was there, that was where I went,” he said.