The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has provided clarification regarding the replacement of Governor Hope Uzodimma as chairman of the rescheduled Edo State governorship primary election. The party stated that Governor Uzodimma could not continue in the role due to a prior official assignment.
On Wednesday, the APC appointed Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State to replace Governor Uzodimma as the chairman of the Electoral Panel, tasked with completing the earlier declared inconclusive governorship primary election. The decision was communicated in a notice of review signed by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu.
While no specific reason was provided in the notice, the party’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, clarified during a press conference on Thursday that Governor Uzodimma was scheduled to present a report to the National Economic Council on the same day designated for the completion of the APC primary election in Edo State.
Morka stated, “We wish to clarify that Governor Uzodinma was neither ‘sacked’ nor ‘dropped,’ as has been erroneously reported, but was unavoidably unavailable to lead the completion of the Party’s Edo State Gubernatorial Primary Election Process due to his prior scheduled attendance of, and presentation of a report, to the National Economic Council meeting today February 22, 2024.”
In light of Governor Uzodimma’s unavailability, Governor Bassey Otu, who served as the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, willingly assumed the role of Chairman to oversee the conclusion of the Edo State Gubernatorial Primary Election Process.
