APC Primaries: Aggrieved Aspirants Drag Party Leadership To NWC Over Alleged Rigging

Fresh crisis has erupted within the All Progressives Congress in Edo State as aggrieved aspirants in the just concluded House of Representatives and Senate primary elections petitioned the party’s National Working Committee over alleged irregularities, intimidation and exclusion from the process.

Among those who filed petitions are members of the House of Representatives, Esosa Iyawe and Marcus Onobun, as well as Senator Neda Imasuen.

Iyawe disclosed that he was forced to forward his protest letter directly to the National Chairman and National Secretary of the APC after unsuccessful attempts to submit it to the party’s appeals committee.

According to him, the declared results did not reflect the lawful votes cast during the primary election.

He alleged that he won the election based on collated results from polling units and wards but was denied victory through what he described as arbitrary and fraudulent declaration of another aspirant.

Iyawe further accused officials of result manipulation, suppression of genuine figures and violence against his supporters during the exercise.

He called on the party leadership to investigate the conduct of the election and review the ward and constituency results submitted during the primary.

Similarly, Onobun, who contested the Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben House of Representatives ticket, rejected the victory declared in favour of Lucky Esiegbe, insisting that the results from the 30 wards in the constituency showed that he won the election.

The former Edo Assembly Speaker alleged that the electoral committee ignored the actual field results and announced another candidate contrary to the wishes of party members.

Also reacting, Senator Imasuen described the Edo South Senatorial primary as a “sham,” alleging that the process was manipulated to favour a preferred aspirant.

Media aide to the senator, Moshood Karim, confirmed that the petition had been submitted to the party after efforts to locate members of the appeals committee proved abortive.

“There’s nothing satisfactory about this sham of election they did today and it’s very unfortunate because as a loyal party member, I expected something better than this,” Imasuen said.

The senator further alleged that intimidation and force were deployed to prevent party members from supporting certain aspirants during the exercise.

“When I looked at the mood of the situation, knowing that it was becoming rowdy, disrespectful and that it might eventually turn violent, I had to take my leave,” he added.

He described the conduct of the exercise as “unfortunate” and “shameful,” saying it fell below the standards expected from the ruling party.