By Jethro Ibileke
The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, bowed to pressure, as it dropped the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, as chairman of the seven-member electoral committee of the rescheduled Edo state gubernatorial primary election.
The party has appointed Mr. Bassey Etu, Governor of Cross Rivers state and erstwhile deputy chairman of the committee, as chairman.
This is even as Alhaji Shettima Shehu is the new addition in place of the delisted Uzodimma, while Alhaji Rabiu Suleiman remained the secretary.
The development was contained in a statement in Abuja Wednesday, by Alhaji Suleiman Mohammed Argungu and titled “Revised 2024 Edo State Gubernatorial Primary Election and Primary Election Appeal Committee”.
The statement also showed that Dr Stanley Ugboaja remained a member of the Secretariat (Primary Election/Primary Election Committee Committee) while Dr Wamba Ahmed Suleiman will chair the Election Appeal Committee which has Alhaji Yunusa Mohammed as secretary.
It would be recalled that the primary election which was conducted on 17 February, was marred by violence, intimidation and thuggery and produced three winners, namely, Senator Monday Okpebholo, House of Representatives member, Dennis Idahosa and Mr. Sunday Anamero Dekeri.
While the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the primary, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma announced Idahosa as the winner, the chief returning officer, Dr. Stanley Ugboaja, declared Okpebholo as the winner.
At Auchi, Mr. Ojo Babatunde, who claimed to be representing the returning officers in all the local governments declared Dekeri as the winner of the election.
Following the confusion that ensued, both Dekeri and Okpebholo had written to the party’s appeal committee to demand their certificates of return.
Another aspirant, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, insisted on Tuesday that no election was held in the state contrary to the results that were announced.