C’River Gov Bassey Otu replaces Uzodinma as Edo APC primaries chair
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as the chairman of the Edo State governorship primary election committee.
The APC replaced Uzodinma with his Cross River State counterpart, Governor Bassey Otu.
This development was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the APC National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu.
Recall Governor Uzodinma supretended over the botched and controversial APC governorship primaries in Edo State over the weekend.
But in a twist to the unfolding political drama in Edo State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) announced the primary election held on Saturday was inconclusive.
This decision comes in the wake of a contentious primary that saw three different candidates being proclaimed as winners, leading to confusion and unrest within the party ranks.
The primary election, marred by disputes, initially had a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, declared the winner by Governor Hope Uzodimma, the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, at the Protea Hotel in Benin.
In a parallel development, Senator Monday Okpebholo was announced as the victor at a separate event held at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, also in Benin City.
Adding to the complexity, Ojo Babatunde, speaking on behalf of local government returning officers, later proclaimed Anamero Sunday Dekeri, another House of Representatives member, as the winner of the contentious poll.
The conflicting declarations led to unrest, with protests erupting on Monday as disgruntled youths and women converged on the party’s secretariat, forcefully expelling members of the State Working Committee led by Jarret Tenabe.
