Posted by Three new candidates have emerged in Edo State, all vying for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in the upcoming governorship election on September 21, 2024, adding fuel to the fire that has been burning since Saturday's APC primaries.
With Saturday night's announcement of primary election victor Anamero Sunday Dekeri, three candidates advanced from the preliminary round.
Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo State, and Ugboaja Stanley Uzoamaka, returner of votes, had already announced Honourable Dennis Idahosa and Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the party's candidates for the gubernatorial race, according to the DAILY POST.
At the Protea Hotel in Benin City, Uzodinma announced that Idahosa had won with 40,453 votes, while Monday Okpebholo had 100. However, at Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu's residence, Uzoamaka, the Returning Officer, announced that Okpebholo had won with 12,145 votes, while Idahosa had 5,536.
Honourable Anamero Sunday Dekeri received 25,384 votes in the primary election, surpassing his nearest competitor, Idahosa, who received 14,127 votes, according to Mr. Ojo Babatunde, the spokesman of the local government returning officers, who announced the winner on Saturday night.
The Etsako Federal constituency is represented in the House of Representatives by Dekeri.
According to Babatunde, who is the official representative of the returning officers from the local government, twelve candidates were evaluated and approved to participate in the party's direct primary.
To hear him tell it, Dekeri has been proclaimed victorious and re-elected since he complied with all legal procedures and received the largest number of valid votes.
In his victory speech, Dekeri expressed his gratitude to the delegates for electing him as the party's candidate for governor.
The trust that party members have placed in him will not be taken lightly, Dekeri said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State held its gubernatorial primary on February 17, 2024, and its members cast their ballots for the party's nominee.
They were wise to choose me, Hon. Anamero Sunday Dekeri, as their candidate of choice.
I accept this choice, which I believe reflects God's choosing, with complete humility and a tremendous sense of responsibility. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the members of our wonderful party in Edo State for placing their unwavering trust in me. I want you to know that I truly appreciate it,” he said.
In the primary election, Dekeri noted that there was no clear winner or loser and urged
the other candidates to work with him to depose the current state government's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He spoke highly of President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to democracy and how it leveled the playing field for all candidates.
He went on to praise the party's executives, members at all levels, and the National Working Committee (NWC) and State Working Committee (SWC) for their hard work and devotion to the party's development and expansion.