By Jude Opara, Abuja
Even as Hon. Dennis Idahosa, one of the aspirants that contested the Edo state governorship primary election has dragged the party, the winner and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court, the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has the best candidate to ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming September 21 governorship election.
Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the party, Hon. Chidi Duru in a chat with Peoples Daily on Tuesday said the party conducted the most transparent primary which produced Sen. Monday Okpebholo as the most acceptable candidate by the party members who voted.
Nzeh Duru added that the exercise was conducted n accordance with the laid down guidelines of the party which was also monitored by INEC.
On the decision of Hon. Idahosa to drag the party and other stakeholders to court, the Deputy National Organizing Secretary said the party did not conduct any other primary outside the one that produced Sen. Monday Okpebholo as the candidate of the party.
He explained that what Idahosa was holding onto does not hold water because the exercise which began on February 17 was disrupted by thugs as the collation of results was going on, thereby making it difficult for it to be completed before February 22.
“It is within the rights of Hon. Idahosa to go to court if he feels aggrieved. But we will advise him to support the position of the party. He is a beneficiary of the party and holding a big position in the legislature.
“One good thing is that a majority of the party stakeholders including about eight aspirants agreed that we did a valid primary and that the candidate that emerged is the best, hence their decision to support him”.
It could be recalled that the chairman of the primary election committee, Governor Hope Uzodinma was said to have announced Idahosa as the winner before the National Working Committee (NWC) ordered that the exercise be completed due to the disruption by the thugs.
“We are not aware that any candidate was declared on February 17. We were aware of the continued collation of the election results and continuation of that process because some officers of the party were beaten blue and black by invading thugs.
“As a consequence of that, the collation was not concluded, and the NWC held a meeting to review the state of things and looking at the Electoral Act and found that it would be possible under the law for the process to be concluded on February 22.
“We wrote the appropriate letter under the direction of the National Chairman to INEC to request that the uncompleted unconcluded primary election be now concluded on Thursday, February 22. We were happy that INEC was also on hand to observe the exercise as required by law”.
On the claim by Idahosa that Governor Uzodinma had declared him winner on February 17, Nzeh Duru said the Imo state governor was supposed to go and conclude the exercise, but he had another assignment given to him by President Bola Tinubu.
“Governor Uzodinma is a friend of the house, he is the ‘go man’ of the party, he is well respected by the party. Governor Uzodinma is one man the party relies on and he can speak for the party at all times.
“What we are aware is that the process of February 17 primary was inconclusive and the process was to be completed on February 22. His Excellency was to head the team back to Edo state to complete that exercise, but as it turned out he had to go for another assignment under the direction and guidance of Mr. President and so he was not available, otherwise he would have been in Edo state to complete the exercise. We must put it on record that he is one person that the party holds in high esteem. He is one governor that speaks for the party”, he concluded.
