In the wake of the controversy dogging its Saturday governorship primary election in Edo State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the poll inconclusive, despite the National Chairman congratulating one of the three factional winners.
Conducted on February 17 in three separate centres, the primaries had produced three factional winners.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Tuesday said that after the leadership of the party had an emergency meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) at the party secretariat in Abuja.
It was not clear what informed the decision of the party’s NWC led by Ganduje.
The Chairman of Electoral Committee of the primary, Governor Hope Uzodimma, had announced Dennis Idahosa as winner, while returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, declared Monday Okpebholo as winner.
The party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, had earlier congratulated Idahosa.
Elsewhere, Ojo Babatunde, who claimed to be representing the returning officers in all the local governments declared Anamero Dekeri as the winner of the election.
Following the confusion that ensued, both Dekeri and Okpebholo had written the appeal committee of the party to demand their certificates of return.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Morka disclosed that the election has not been completed, adding that the process will continue on Thursday.
He said, “I am here to give you the outcome of the emergency meeting of the National Working Committee of our party held today regarding Edo State governorship primary election.
“At its emergency meeting held today, Tuesday, February 20, 2024 to consider the report on the Edo governorship primary election, the National Working Committee of our party deliberated and resolved that the governorship primary election has not been completed and has now fixed Thursday, February 22 for the completion of the APC Edo State” primary election process.”
He declined further media enquiries.
Local Government returning officers for the primary election, led by Babatunde Ojo had on Saturday declared Anamero Dekeri, a serving House of Representatives member, winner of the exercise.
Each of the three “candidates” has since demanded that the NWC issues them a Certificate of Return.
