By Ken Afor
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly tipped Hon. Dennis Idahosa as the likely running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for the upcoming Edo governorship election set to take place on September 21.
Hon. Idahosa was reportedly tipped at a meeting held on Sunday night.
The event was said to have been attended by key party figures, including the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and other prominent party chieftains.
It would be recalled that Hon. Idahosa, a federal lawmaker in the lower chamber from Ovia South/West-Ovia North/East Federal Constituency, was initially declared the winner of the party’s February 17 primary election, but the exercise was canceled by the party, ordering a rerun.
In the rerun, Senator Okpebholo, representing Edo Central, emerged as the winner with 12,433 votes, while Idahosa polled 6,541 votes.
Following his loss, Idahosa wrote to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for the commission to recognize him as the candidate of the party.
While urging the electoral umpire to disregard the February 22, 2024, rerun election, which produced Senator Okpebholo, he described the exercise as a sham.
His letter to INEC reads in part; “The record of INEC/the Commission will show that, under your leadership, the Commission monitored the Edo State APC primary election for the nomination of the Governorship candidate of the APC pursuant to the prior notification that the primary election will specifically hold on 17th of February, 2024.
“The primary election was indeed held, and i garnered 40,453 votes, a copy of the result certified by INEC is attached herein with this letter.
“INEC’s report of monitoring the election confirms that, at the end of the process, i was returned as the duly elected candidate of the APC, a copy of the INEC report as certified by the Commission is attached.
“The APC primary election committee that conducted the election also confirmed that i won the election as evidenced by a report signed by all members of the committee (without a single instance of dissent).
“The APC subsequently confirmed to INEC that the orimary election held as scheduled on 17th February, 2024; however, without giving any reason, indicated that the election was inconclusive and will be completed on 22nd February, 2024 and invited INEC to monitor the completion exercise.”
While it is unclear why the party decided to pair Idahosa with Okpebholo, analysts believe that the move indicates a strategic alignment within the APC as they gear up for the electoral battle in Edo State.
The APC National Chairman, Ganduje, alongside the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Bashiru, are expected to formally present Okpebholo and Idahosa to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the presidential villa today, Monday, March 18.
