Salihu Lukman, a former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed concern over the potential for another electoral disaster in Edo State. Lukman, reacting to the results of the APC Edo State governorship primary, commended the intervention of the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led NWC, stating that it played a crucial role in averting a crisis.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Lukman praised the NWC for swiftly intervening and nullifying the February 17 primary election. He emphasized that if the NWC had not taken prompt action, the party risked confirming its undemocratic image. The primary election had become inconclusive due to the emergence of three aspirants – Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Mr. Anamero Dekeri, and Sen. Monday Okpebholo – all claiming victory.
Governor Bassey Out, who chaired the APC Edo election committee, declared Sen. Monday Okpebholo as the candidate for the September 2024 election in the state. Lukman observed that the entire process of the February 17 primary mirrored past attempts to manipulate the emergence of a particular aspirant as the APC’s gubernatorial candidate for Edo elections, echoing the patterns seen in the 2020 election that produced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
