APC Declares Dennis Idahosa as Governorship Candidate in Edo State

The All Progressives Congress (APC) officially named Dennis Idahosa, a member of the House of Representatives, as its gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming Edo State Gubernatorial Election scheduled for September 21, 2024.

The announcement followed a closely contested primary election where Idahosa secured a total of 40,483 votes, emerging victorious in his bid to represent the APC in the gubernatorial race. The disclosure was made by Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State and the head of the APC primary election committee in Edo State.

However, the primary election has not been without controversy. A coalition of election observers previously reported significant irregularities, raising concerns about the credibility of the process. The coalition pointed out flaws that could potentially undermine the integrity of the party’s candidate selection leading up to the September 21 election.

The observers noted a lack of transparency, citing gross irregularities observed across all 192 venues where the primary elections were held at the ward level. Furthermore, the absence of delegate or party membership registers in these venues was highlighted in a preliminary report by the election observers coalition.

Last night, the fallout intensified as two out of the twelve candidates competing for the APC ticket withdrew from the race in protest. The dissenting candidates, Lucky Imasuen, a former deputy governor, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of transparency, adding another layer of controversy to the unfolding political scenario in Edo State.