Women leader role: In dramatic twist, Betta Edu trounces opponent at APC convention

Betta Edu, Cross River commissioner for health, has been elected as the national women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Edu won the election after polling 2,063 votes to defeat Helen Effiom, a lawyer, who secured 114 votes.

At the beginning of the party’s convention, Edu, Effiom and Rita Ekpere, former director-general of the National Women Development Centre (NWDC), were all vying for the position.

This year, the APC opted to use the consensus method for all the national working committee (NWC) offices, but this did not go down well with some aspirants.

When aspirants began withdrawing from the positions they were vying for, Ekpere said she was not going to throw in the towel.

After reported persuasion by Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, the former director-general caved in around 12:00am Sunday morning, leaving Edu and Effiom in the race.

After hours of trying to have a consensus candidate, the two candidates decided to slug it out at the poll.

The decisions to go ahead with the poll was made around 3:00am.

The process was concluded around 8:00am and Edu was declared winner of the poll.

The new APC women leader has been in the news for allegedly being a commissioner and contesting the position at the same time.

Edu claimed she resigned “weeks ago”.

Also, Victor Gaidom, who is backed by Amaechi, was elected national vice-chairman south-south after polling 1,825 votes.