Confusion and controversy engulfed the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary election in Edo South on Monday as parallel exercises produced conflicting results, with both Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama emerging from separate camps claiming victory.
The dramatic development has thrown the APC in Edo South into fresh crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the fiercely contested battle involving incumbent senator, Neda Imasuen, Ize-Iyamu and Ogbeide-Ihama.
In one of the parallel primaries, Ize-Iyamu was declared winner after polling 33,399 votes to defeat Ogbeide-Ihama who secured 12,560 votes, while Senator Imasuen trailed with 5,107 votes.
Announcing the result, Chief Returning Officer, Abubakar Muhammad Kabiru, said Ize-Iyamu won the highest number of lawful votes cast across the 77 wards in the seven local government areas of Edo South Senatorial District.
Kabiru stated that voting commenced peacefully in most wards under heavy security presence, with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitoring the process.
Reacting to the declaration, Ize-Iyamu thanked party members for the confidence reposed in him, describing the outcome as a triumph for grassroots democracy and party unity.
He pledged to work with other aspirants and stakeholders to reposition the APC ahead of the 2027 elections and promised quality representation if elected senator.
However, in a dramatic twist, another parallel primary produced a different outcome as Ogbeide-Ihama was separately declared winner of the contest.
The Returning Officer for the exercise, Mohammed Ajana, announced that Ogbeide-Ihama polled 27,154 votes to defeat Senator Imasuen who secured 13,580 votes, while Ize-Iyamu came a distant third with 6,785 votes.
Ajana explained that the results of the exercise would be transmitted to the APC national secretariat in Abuja for final ratification.
Further details obtained by this online newspaper revealed that the conflicting declarations have heightened uncertainty within the party, with supporters of both camps celebrating victory amid fears of a prolonged political showdown.
Meanwhile, there was no senatorial primary election in Edo North and Edo Central as incumbent senators, Adams Oshiomhole and Joseph Ikpea Igiagbe, were reportedly handed automatic tickets by the APC leadership.
