BREAKING: Fresh Crisis Rocks APC
Information reaching Ibom Focus says that Fresh Crisis Rocks APC
Protesters, on Monday, stormed the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja to express displeasure over the outcome of the party’s just-concluded governorship primary in Edo State.
The governorship primary, which went into a rerun, produced Senator Monday Okpebholo as the winner and APC candidate for the September 21, 2024 governorship election in the state.
However, the Monday protesters, who were supporters of Dennis Idahosa, one of the 11 aspirants who lost out, alleged that the primary was fraught with illegalities.
The demonstrators, who blocked the main gate of the APC national secretariat, demanded to see the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, to demand for justice.
While flaunting different protest banners and placards, they alleged that the governorship primary did not follow the constitution of the party and further appealed to the National Working Committee to revert to the initial February 17 primary.
In the said election, Idahosa and two other aspirants were declared winners, an act that forced the leadership of the party to declare the poll inconclusive.
But Idahosa’s supporters claimed the rerun election was fixed to favour Okpebholo, who was declared the winner of the rerun.
Addressing newsmen at the secretariat on Monday, the leader of the protesters, Innocent Ogedengbe, said, “The said primaries of 22nd February 2024 did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 as aspirants were not given equal opportunities of being voted for by party members at the designated centres at the wards that make up Edo State.
“The party members present to vote did not have their votes cast recorded by any known officer of the party’s national secretariat.
“Quite clearly, the result sheets used were completed in the national secretariat of the party as it did not flow from the reality on the ground in Edo State.
“The said primaries of 17th and 22nd February 2024 were not conducted by open secret ballot as required by relevant provisions of the APC constitution and the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo is not only unlawful, but a crass violation of the APC constitution.
“Our strong prayer is that the injustice perpetrated by the Governor Otu committee be set aside by the party and Hon. Dennis Idahosa be rightfully declared winner on the strength of available extant documentary evidence. Let justice be done.”
Meanwhile, the Edo APC Youth leader, Tony Adun, has apologised to the party for leading youths and women to vandalise the party’s secretariat in Benin after the first primary election on February 17, which threw up winners.
The crowd led by the Adun, popularly called Kabaka, forced their way into the offices and brought out the furniture and other property.
On Monday, Adun, in a viral video and a statement, apologised to the leaders of the party in the state.
He stated: “I, comrade Tony Kabaka, the state APC youth leader, wish to apologise to our leaders, women leaders of our great party, and all our youths as regards the conduct of aggrieved APC youths during the party primary which took place on the 17th February 2024.
“The party is supreme, I will work with the party and leaders to ensure that our candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo is victorious and I wish to use this medium to congratulate him on his victory at the just concluded party primary.
“I want to urge all the youths to embrace peace and let us all work together to make sure we succeed in the general elections come September 2024. I remain a loyal party man.”
