APC Chieftain Accuses Oshiomhole of Crisis Instigation in Edo State Primaries

An APC chieftain in Edo State, Emmanuel Odigie, has accused Senator Adams Oshiomhole of igniting a crisis during the party’s primary election. Odigie alleges that Oshiomhole is determined to impose his candidate to further his alleged 2027 Senate President ambition.

The primary election, which took place on Saturday, saw Dennis Idahosa declared the winner by the election committee chairman, Hope Uzodinma. However, parallel primaries also produced Anamero Dekeri and Monday Okpebholo as winners, leading to the National Working Committee declaring the election inconclusive after protests from stakeholders.

Odigie, speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, accused Oshiomhole of using hired thugs to intimidate voters, assault party officials, and steal their belongings during the disrupted exercise.

He claimed, “All these are happening because our leader, (Adams) Oshiomhole, whom I respect so much, wants to become the Senate president in 2027. He just wants to use this young boy (Idahosa) to get access to the Edo State Treasury to fund his ambition to be senate president.”

Odigie criticized Oshiomhole’s alleged dictatorial tendencies within the APC, stating, “Every four years, one man wants to dictate what happened in Edo State, this is unacceptable to the Edo people and the entire leadership of the party in the state.”

While appreciating the APC’s NWC for intervening, Odigie emphasized that the party’s efforts would be in vain if Oshiomhole is not reined in. He appealed to the NWC to persuade Oshiomhole to promote peace and allow fair primaries in Edo.

He also urged Oshiomhole to reconsider his actions and avoid destabilizing the party that had given him various leadership opportunities.

Daily Nigerian