Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just-concluded gubernatorial primaries in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Monday in Abuja claimed that he defeated his closest rival, Dennis Idahosa with over 6,000 votes.
He said though thugs disrupted the collation, the final tally shows that he won convincingly with a commanding majority.
He urged his supporters to remain calm, rest assured that justice will be served at the end of the day.
The Edo Central lawmaker in the Senate, said as candidate of the party, he’s certain of returning Edo state to the APC.
He said: “Let me use this opportunity to thank and appreciate all APC members of Edo State for nominating me as the Party’s Candidate for the governorship election come September 2024. I am immensely humbled by the trust and confidence reposed in me.
“You will recall that the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party, APC, nominated highly reputable officials to officiate in the primary election scheduled for the 17th of February 2024 with Dr. Stanley Ugboaja, as the State Returning Officer.
“After the primary election, which was adjudged to be very peaceful, the collation of results commenced at the designated centre by the collation officials in the presence of INEC officials, the Press, the law enforcement agencies and other party stewards.
“Surprisingly, while the collation of results was ongoing and upon the declaration of eight (8) local government, some irate thugs suspectedly commissioned by my closest rival, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, who had only won two (2) local Governments as against my six (6), stormed the venue of the state collation center and disrupted the process by beating up collation officials, party representatives, the press crew and others.
“To my amazement and that of well-meaning members of our great party in Edo State, information currently reaching me from Benin City, Edo State has it that the same thugs led by Tony Kabaka, that disrupted the collation of result as earlier stated, also invaded the State Secretariat of the party early this morning, destroyed and looted valuables in the offices in the guise of purportedly looking for the result of the primary election, which was never conducted by the State Executives of the party.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend the State Retuning Officer Dr. Stanley Ugboaja and other members of the Committee for their resilience in continuing the collation and subsequent official declaration of final results after the urgent medical attention rendered to the injured members.
“It is now on record that the total votes scored by me is twelve thousand one hundred and forty-five (12,145) as against my closest rival, Hon. Dennis Idahosa who scored only five thousand, five hundred and thirty-six votes (5,536).
“The able leadership of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will ensure that truth will prevail over falsehood. I remain loyal to my party and to Mr. President, a universally acknowledged democrat and a man of goodwill who is prepared to change the fortune of our dear nation.”
