Salihu Lukman, former vice-chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north-west, says the party’s gubernatorial primary election in Edo shows its commitment to winning the poll in September.
On Thursday, Monday Okpebholo, senator representing Edo central, was declared winner of the party’s rescheduled primary election.
Earlier, Dennis Idahosa, a house of representatives member, was declared the winner by the election committee led by Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo.
However, the poll was cancelled over alleged irregularities. The party rescheduled another primary election which produced Okpebholo as the flagbearer.
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In a statement on Saturday, Lukman commended the national working committee (NWC) led by Abdullahi Ganduje for rescheduling the poll.
“It is a source of pride that the APC NWC under the leadership of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was able to quickly arrest the drift, which would have confirmed the APC as an undemocratic party,” the statement reads.
“It is quite commendable that the leadership of the APC was able to retrace its steps by first reorganising the Primary Election Committee and then allowing a level playing field to guarantee the emergence of a popular candidate based on majority votes.
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“Unlike previous cases whereby the Primary Election Committee practically allocates votes to aspirants and declare an anointed person as the winner, it is also commendable that the reorganised APC Primary Election Committee under the leadership of His Excellency Otu chose the path of honour by allowing fair contest to produce the winner of the primary.
“The big question is whether this will be the new standard in APC.
“Given the way the APC has managed the 2024 Edo Primary election, it gives strong hope and confidence that the party is committed to winning the 2024 Edo Governorship election based on popular votes.
“Winning popular votes is about winning the confidence of electorates, which will be determined first by how strongly APC members and leaders support the candidate of the party.
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“Given that Sen. Okpebholo is not a product of imposition, the ability of Sen. Okpebholo to emerge as a candidate in the election who is a unifier will be determined based on his ability to bring all APC leaders together to support his election campaign.”
He added that holding regular consultative meetings as prescribed in the party’s constitution would unite APC in Edo.
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