By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Following the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the September 21, 2024 governorship election in State, the first runner-up in the just concluded primary election, Dennis Idahosa, has rejected the candidature of Okpebholo.
Idahosa, in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City on Saturday, 24 February, 2024, alleged that the “fictitious results” declared by Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State-led committee represented the highest level of rape on democracy ever witnessed in Edo State.
“Events in the last few days may have been very disappointing and demoralizing to lots of people as your votes seemed not to have counted going by the process and declaration of fictitious primary election results of what happened on the field on the 22nd re-run elections in the 192 wards of the State.
“Let me assure you all, our teaming supporters that, I shall explore all the party internal mechanisms to resolve the issues, and seeks justice and where that doesn’t work, I shall communicate with you all on our next line of action,” he said.
The lawmaker representing Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, however, appreciated his supporters across the state for their massive and unwavering support towards his ambition of becoming the party’s flag bearer in the September 21, 2024, Edo gubernatorial election.
While assuring his supporters that he would never take their show of love and confidence for granted, he, however, vowed to explore all the internal mechanisms of the party to seek justice.
He added that if the internal mechanism do not guarantee him the expected justice, he would also communicate his next line of action to the supporters.
Idahosa, however, appealed to his supporters to continue to maintain peace in the face provocation.
It will be recalled that Idahosa was declared winner of the cancelled primary election by Imo State governor and erstwhile chairman of the primary election committee, Hope Uzodinma.
