Politics
Edo primary: Step in now to save APC from an impending loss -Senator Osunbor urges Tinubu
…demands cancellation of the flawed primary
…says there’s a game plan to present a weak candidate to pave way for PDP
… insists a repeat of 2020 massive defeat is looming
One of the top contenders of the Edo APC 2024 guber primary, Senator Professor Oserheimen Osunbor has called on President Bola Tinubu to wade into the looming crisis of the party after a flawed primary conducted last Saturday.
Senator Osunbor also called for the cancellation of the primaries which has so far produced three APC guber flag bearers.
He made this disclosure in a press conference on Sunday evening in Iruekpen his hometown where he chronicled what transpired last Saturday declaring that:
“On Saturday, 27th, February 2024 all registered members of APC across Edo state came out to vote for their preferred candidate for the 21 September governorship election.
“To their disappointment, the election did not take place anywhere that I know of across the 18 Local Government areas of Edo State. The party officials deployed from the Abuja office of the Natiional Organising Secretary to conduct the elections at the various wards and Local Government areas of Edo State were kept in hotels in Benin.
“There is no record or video of any of them preforming their assigned roles in the election at their respective designated points.
“Specifically, in my own Ward 6 of Esan LGA, where over 200 members assembled and were eagerly waiting, no electoral official of the party turned up.
“Infact, there was no election anywhere in Esan West and other LGAs including Akoko-Edo and Etsako West. I was aghast and in disbelief when I saw a video of the purported result of Esan West election being announced by a lady said to be a retuning officer.
“What we saw on television was not result of election but allocation of votes by some persons in Benin to each of the aspirants.
“In the end, two candidates have been announced as winners. Sen. Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Denis Idahosa in a primary election that was never held or was not conducted in accordance with the law and guidelines. This charade confirms the widespread suspicion that there is a deliberate plan by some people to create crises in Edo state APC, instigate bitterness among the members and set the public against the party in order to aid the victory of the presumed PDP candidate.
“They are labouring to present a weak APC candidate that will be easily over-run and defeated by the presumed PDP candidate during the election. They are not working in the interest of APC but of PDP. We must avoid a repeat of the scenario which lead to the defeat of APC in 2020.
“I hereby appeal to his excellency President Bola Tinubu to:-
1 Cause an investigation to be instituted into the allegation that this sham of a primary election and the crises it has generated have been induced by gratification given and received by the principal actors to damage APC and pave the way for the emergence of the PDP candidate in the election.
2. Order the cancellation of the election which has produced two or four candidates, if you add Prince Clem Agba and Hon Anamero Dekiri who have each claimed victory. The primary election cannot stand the test of legal scrutiny but rather will jeopardize the chances of APC. This is, in fact, their true intention and desire. There has been a brazen disregard of the Party Guidelines, Party Constitution and the Electoral Act, which may prove fatal in the event of litigation.
- Order another primary election to be conducted ahead of the 24th February deadline set by INEC. Different officers should be assigned to conduct the fresh primaries.
“I make this appeal as the most popular aspirant with name recognition and acceptability throughout the length and breadth of Edo state.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has criticised the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning against what he described as threats to deploy “federal might” to influence the upcoming governorship election in the state.
This was contained in a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Olawale Rasheed.
Speaking at a meeting with leaders and ward officials of the Accord Party across the 332 wards in the state, Adeleke said federal power should be used for good governance rather than electoral manipulation.
The governor accused the APC of dragging the name of President Bola Tinubu into partisan rhetoric by repeatedly claiming that federal institutions would be deployed during the poll.
According to Adeleke, the President has instead been using federal authority to deliver governance programmes, citing infrastructure projects and policy initiatives.
“The President is using federal power to deliver good governance… not for election rigging,” the governor said, urging the opposition to stop what he described as attempts to undermine democratic principles ahead of the election.
He also called on residents of the state to remain vigilant and ensure their votes determine the outcome of the poll.
“Our people are passionate about free and fair elections. Only electoral bandits boast of rigging in a democracy,” he said.
Support For Gov’s Re-Election
At the gathering, several political leaders voiced support for the governor’s re-election bid.
Among them were the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, and Senator Olu Alabi.
They urged party leaders to intensify grassroots mobilisation and defend votes during the election.
The chairman of the Imole Movement, Wale Oladipo, alongside Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Sunday Bisi, also reaffirmed their support for Adeleke, calling on party structures across the state to work toward his re-election.
Political Realignment
The build-up to the governorship contest has been shaped by significant political realignments in the state.
In December 2025, Adeleke announced his defection from the PDP to the Accord Party after weeks of consultations with stakeholders, citing the leadership crisis within the PDP as the reason for leaving the party.
The governor later emerged as the Accord Party’s sole candidate for the 2026 governorship election in Osun State, positioning himself to seek a second term under the new platform.
His defection triggered political reactions from opposition figures, particularly within the APC, as the party declared its intention to reclaim the state in the forthcoming election.
The contest is expected to be closely watched in the South-West political landscape as parties intensify preparations for the poll scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be held on August 15.
Confusion erupted on Saturday (today) during the Taraba State congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after members of the congress committee reportedly announced two different individuals as the party’s consensus chairman.
The development sparked outrage among delegates and party faithful, triggering heated arguments and protests at the congress venue.
The drama reportedly began when a member of the congress committee announced Victor Samuel Falack as the consensus chairman of the party in the state.
Party members present at the venue were said to have applauded the announcement and affirmed Falack’s nomination, believing the process had been concluded.
Observers at the congress said the declaration was initially received with excitement, as many delegates appeared satisfied that the party had reached a consensus.
However, the situation took a dramatic turn moments later when another member of the committee, reportedly arriving from Abuja, interrupted the proceedings and announced a different individual as the party’s chairman.
The sudden reversal created confusion among delegates, many of whom began questioning the development and demanding clarification from the congress committee.
The conflicting declarations immediately sparked heated exchanges among party members and supporters at the venue.
The disagreement soon degenerated into chaos as some aggrieved delegates and party faithful stormed out of the congress venue in protest.
Witnesses said the protesters chanted slogans and insisted that the earlier declaration of Falack as the consensus candidate be respected.
Some party members also described the newly announced chairman as “unknown” within the party’s structure in the state.
They accused members of the congress committee of attempting to impose a candidate on the party against the wishes of delegates.
Efforts by some party officials to calm the tense situation reportedly failed as tensions among supporters continued to rise.
As of the time of filing this report, the final outcome of the Congress remained uncertain.
Concerned party members have since called on the national leadership of the PDP to urgently intervene and clarify the conflicting announcements in order to prevent further crisis within the party in Taraba State.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has announced the official schedule of activities for the conduct of its 2026 nationwide congresses and national convention.
In a statement released by the party, the ADC said the exercise forms part of its constitutional responsibility to renew leadership structures across all levels of the organisation.
According to the party, the process will begin at the grassroots level and progress through the various tiers of the party structure, starting from polling units and wards, through local government and state levels, before culminating in the National Convention.
The party explained that the congresses are aimed at strengthening its internal democratic processes and repositioning the party ahead of future political activities.
The timetable approved by the party leadership is as follows:
Polling Unit and Ward Congresses: Tuesday, 7 April 2026
Local Government Area Congresses: Thursday, 9 April 2026
State Congresses: Saturday, 11 April 2026
National Convention: Tuesday, 14 April 2026
The ADC urged members across the country to participate actively in the process to ensure a smooth and transparent exercise.
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