The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, addressed the controversy surrounding the APC primary election in an interview with reporters in Benin, the state capital, on Monday.
He emphasized that INEC would recognize only the exercise conducted at the venue officially communicated by the APC national leadership. According to Onuoha, for the Edo State case, the venue communicated to INEC by the APC national leadership was Lushville Hotel and Suites.
Citing a Supreme Court decision, Onuoha clarified that only the national leadership of a political party, not the state leadership, could determine the venue of a primary election. Therefore, INEC monitored the exercise and would only acknowledge results declared at the venue specified by the national leadership of the party.
He warned aspirants and political parties to halt campaigning for the governorship election immediately or face sanctions, noting that the suspension on campaigns had not been lifted and was expected to resume on April 24.
Regarding the APC primary held last Saturday, which produced three alleged winners, Onuoha reiterated that only the exercise monitored by INEC at Lushville Hotel would be recognized. This statement comes amidst conflicting declarations of winners by different factions within the party.
Despite the declaration of Dennis Idahosa as the winner by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, the Edo State APC leadership has rejected these results, maintaining that only the state Returning Officer has the authority to declare a winner.
On Monday, Anamero Dekeri, who emerged as the third alleged winner, visited the APC national secretariat in Abuja, demanding to be issued a Certificate of Return as the winner of the poll.