Dennis Idahosa, a governorship aspirant in the February 22 primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has taken a stand for justice by staging a protest at the party's national secretariat in Abuja. Idahosa was initially declared the winner of the February 17 primary by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. However, the APC later nullified the results and appointed Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State to oversee a fresh governorship primary.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Idahosa, who garnered over 40,000 votes in the canceled primary, contested the decision and asserted that justice was not served. He argued that the initial declaration of him as the winner by Governor Uzodimma should be honored. During the protest, Idahosa called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the National Working Committee (NWC) rectifies the situation, maintaining that the party should uphold the initial pronouncement.
The APC's decision to cancel the election and conduct a fresh primary led to the emergence of Monday Okpebholo as the party's candidate for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 2024. Okpebholo secured victory with 12,433 votes, surpassing Idahosa, who garnered 6,541 votes. The total number of votes cast in the primary was reported to be 41,784, with 31,863 accredited voters and no invalid votes.
In light of the cancellation and subsequent re-run, Idahosa expressed his grievances, emphasizing that the integrity of the electoral process should be maintained. He also issued a stern warning, stating his intent to take legal action against the APC if justice is not promptly served. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the party leadership will respond to the protest and demands for a fair resolution to the matter.