Anselm Ojezua: Edo APC Chairman

Mr Johnson Oghuma, on Saturday emerged the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Jan. 28 bye-election for the Etsako Federal Constituency.

Oghuma emerged the winner with 334 votes defeating his opponent, Mr Blessing Agbomhere, who polled 75 votes

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seat was declared vacant by the Speaker of the House of Representative, Mr Yakubu Dogara, in Dec. 2016, after the occupant, Mr Philip Shaibu became deputy to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The Chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who declared the result, said that 411 delegates were accredited for the election.

Na’Allah said that 409 cast their votes, and there were two invalid votes.

“With the power confined on me, I hereby declare Johnson Oghuma winner of this primaries.

“This is just the first step to the election proper. I urge all party members to close ranks and ensure that this candidate emerge victorious come Jan 28 bye-election,” he said.

Earlier, the other candidate of the party, Blessing Agbomehere had called for the cancellation of the primaries, saying that the process was compromised.

He said that the delegates list was being manipulated as there was no means of authenticating the real delegates.

He therefore called for the cancellation. However, the call was ignored. (NAN)