A prominent contender in the Edo APC 2024 governorship primary, Senator Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, has passionately urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene decisively in the burgeoning crisis within the party following what he described as a deeply flawed primary held last Saturday.
Addressing reporters during a press conference convened on Sunday evening in Iruekpen, his hometown, Senator Osunbor meticulously recounted the events of the contested primary, highlighting a litany of irregularities that marred the process across all 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State.
He articulated his dismay, saying, “On Saturday, 27th February 2024, all registered members of the APC across Edo state eagerly anticipated the opportunity to exercise their democratic right and vote for their preferred candidate for the 21 September governorship election.”
However, Senator Osunbor lamented that the expectations of party members were brutally shattered, asserting, “To their profound disappointment, the election did not take place anywhere that I know of across the 18 Local Government areas of Edo State.” He continued, “The party officials deployed from the Abuja office of the National Organising Secretary to conduct the elections at the various wards and Local Government areas of Edo State were sequestered in hotels in Benin.”
Describing the absence of electoral officials as glaring, Senator Osunbor stated, “There is no record or video of any of them performing their assigned roles in the election at their respective designated points.” He underscored the gravity of the situation, revealing, “Specifically, in my own Ward 6 of Esan LGA, where over 200 members assembled and were eagerly waiting, no electoral official of the party turned up.”
The Senator from Edo State also expressed disbelief at the announcement of two candidates, Sen. Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Denis Idahosa, as winners, decrying what he deemed a “charade” orchestrated to manipulate the outcome. He cautioned against the repercussions of such irregularities, warning that they could fatally undermine the APC’s electoral prospects and potentially pave the way for the victory of the presumed PDP candidate.
In a direct appeal to President Tinubu, Senator Osunbor asserted, “I hereby appeal to his excellency President Bola Tinubu to— 1. Cause an investigation to be instituted into the allegation that this sham of a primary election and the crises it has generated have been induced by gratification given and received by the principal actors to damage APC and pave the way for the emergence of the PDP candidate in the election.”
He implored President Tinubu to order the cancellation of the flawed primary and the organization of a new one before the looming INEC deadline. Senator Osunbor emphasized the urgency of the situation, declaring, “Different officers should be assigned to conduct the fresh primaries.”
Senator Osunbor reiterated his appeal, underlining his widespread popularity and acceptability among the people of Edo State, and his commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
