Edo APC in Dire Need of Unity

Since the episode of one primary election that produced three governorship candidates, peace seems to have eluded the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, prompting political observers to query if the party will actually unite behind a candidate in the September 21 governorship poll, writes Adibe Emenyonu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State appears to be in a state of confusion since the conclusion of its primary election to choose a candidate for the September 21, 2024 governorship election in the state.

From the time of the first ballot, which produced a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa as candidate and two other claimants, to the second that gave victory to Senator Monday Okpebholo as candidate, the political atmosphere in the state as it concerns the party has remained in crisis.

The party is sharply divided between the group loyal to the senator, representing Edo North in the upper chamber of the National Assembly and former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole; and the other faction backed by a two-time governorship candidate in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and other leaders of the party in the state.

The crisis started before the primaries as name-dropping began to fly among party leaders and followers, who were claiming that President Bola Tinubu preferred the member, representing Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives as candidate of the party because, according to them, he had twice beaten the daughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion to emerge elected member of the National Assembly.

Again, he was also said to be the only aspirant who won his ward, local government and federal constituency in the 2023 general election.

However, in what looks like a countermeasure, it was also claimed that the president had endorsed rotation in favour of Edo Central district for equity, justice and fair play because the zone is yet to have a governor of the state since 1999 except the 18 months short-lived tenure of Prof. Oserhiemen Osunbor.

Armed with these two conflicting messages, the party members went to the field more confused.

However, since it was a contest, a winner eventually emerged.

Therefore, in the February 17 primary, Idahosa was declared winner in a rancorous exercise. Journalists were beaten; their working tools destroyed, while 

Lush Vill Hotel, the collation centre for the primary, had some of their property damaged when political thugs invaded the venue reminiscing the Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Commando” film. 

There was protest but amidst this confusion, the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, congratulated Idahosa, declaring the live broadcast of results of the primary election as unknown to the party. 

However, the same National Working Committee (NWC) of the party headed by Ganduje later bowed to pressure and declared the exercise that produced Idahosa inconclusive.

Since the primary was declared inconclusive, rather than continue where they stopped, the party went for a fresh exercise.

In the second ballot, the table turned against Idahosa, and in favour of Senator Okpebholo who represents Edo Central in the Senate. 

The same Ganduje and others felicitated with him on his victory.

A Certificate of Return was issued immediately, signalling his acceptance as the party’s candidate for the governorship poll.

Now, his victory is being threatened as the man he defeated has asked the party NWC to declare him the party’s candidate, having been pronounced so in the first botched primaries or risk legal action.

In a letter to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by his lawyers, Wole Olanipekun & Co and dated March 4, which was sighted by THISDAY, Idahosa maintained that the primary conducted by the party and duly monitored by the commission, remained the authentic primary of the party.

He described the other primary conducted on February 22 where he was allotted 6,541 votes as a charade and urged INEC to disregard the same. According to the attached documents to the letter, Idahosa said: “The record of INEC/the commission will show that, under your leadership, the commission monitored the Edo State APC primary election for the nomination of the governorship candidate of the APC pursuant to the prior notification that the primary election will specifically hold on 17th of February, 2024. 

“The primary election was indeed held, and I garnered 40,453 votes, a copy of the result certified by INEC is attached herein with this letter.

“INEC’s report of monitoring the election confirms that, at the end of the process, I was returned as the duly elected candidate of the APC, a copy of the INEC report as certified by the commission is attached.

“The APC primary election committee that conducted the election also confirmed that i won the election as evidenced by a report signed by all members of the committee (without a single instance of dissent). 

“The APC subsequently confirmed to INEC that the primary election held as scheduled on 17th February, 2024; however, without giving any reason, indicated that the election was inconclusive and will be completed on 22nd February, 2024 and invited INEC to monitor the completion exercise,” he stated.

Idahosa asked the commission to take cognisance of the February 17 primary in accepting and publishing the party’s nominated candidate for the Edo State governorship poll slated for September. 

“The commission will also appreciate that there are pending reliefs for injunction and is urged not to take steps that will either preempt the court of prejudice of ongoing judicial process,” he explained.

Idahosa may not be alone in the quest to return him as the party candidate. His move is alleged to have the backing of Oshiomhole who apparently spoke through one of the governorship aspirants and former Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua who described the sudden emergence of Okpebholo as candidate of the party as a charade and rape on democracy. 

Afegbua alleged that the said primary that produced Okpebholo never took place as it was a mere selection and gang up by the national leadership of the party to undo Oshiomhole. To him, during the rescheduled primary, Okpebholo who was declared winner ahead of eleven other aspirants with 12,433 votes was not even present on that day of primary yet, he was declared winner.

In the light of the above, Afegbua vowed that he may not even work for Okpebholo, adding that since the party at the national level has foisted him on the people, they should be ready to deliver him while some of the party leaders in the state will watch how they would succeed.

But in his reaction, Goodwill Inegb, who is the Director of Publicity for Monday Okpebholo Campaign Organisation, said the party’s NWC is the organ that is bequeathed with the constitutional powers and authority to conduct governorship primary election, adding that if in their wisdom, they decided to cancel the first primary because of the controversy that trailed it and reschedule a fresh one which produced Okpebholo, other party members should kindly support the outcome so as to ensure victory come September 21.

According to him, “In fidelity with the relevant provisions in the Constitution and Electoral Act, the NWC conducted a fair, transparent and credible governorship primary election in Edo State, which led to the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo (aka) Akpakomiza, as the flag-bearer of APC in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Edo State.

“We must now join hands to ensure we deliver for the party and our candidate, because in this lies the redemption of Edo people. 

“Senator Monday Okpebholo is the man Edo needs now to steer the ship of the state from the rudderlessness of the last eight years. We cannot afford to miss this chance his candidacy affords. He has shown he’s a team player who works in silence, achieving results. He’s not a braggart, neither is he slothful.  He is focused on reclaiming Edo for Edo people.  We must join him to make this happen.

“Senator Monday Okpebholo has clearly shown that he is a focused, detribalized and disciplined leader, whose humility is second to none and whose drive and passion for Edo renaissance trump any primordial consideration. 

“We cannot allow the continuation of arrogance in government, failed promises, belligerence against our people, use-and-dump, repatriation of our collective wealth to other climes and outsourcing of our jobs to Lagos.

In spite of these pleadings, the APC in the state has remained polarised. 

The division has assumed ethnic colouration between Edo South/Central districts versus Edo North. While the northern elements of the party have backed Oshiomhole, Edo South and Edo Central have thrown their weights behind Ize-Iyamu and his group, making reconciliation very difficult to attain.

As a sign that Okpebholo has moved on as the party’s governorship candidate, last week, it was reported that leaders of the party had endorsed Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a former member of the House of Representatives as his running mate.

The leaders gave the endorsement at a meeting attended in Abuja by top former governorship aspirants and other critical stakeholders from Edo South. Among those present at the meeting were Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Lucky Imasuen, and Senator Matthew Urhoghide, among others.

Ogbeide-Ihama, a formidable politician from Edo South, until recently was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The popular Edo politician, who controls the structure of Dan Orbih-led faction of the PDP in Edo South, is moving into the APC with thousands of supporters and PDP party leaders from the senatorial zone.

It was also gathered that his movement to the party and his endorsement by leaders from the largest senatorial district in Edo State, may earn the APC the needed victory from Edo South during the polls.