Edo guber: Okpebholo, Akpata emerge APC, LP candidates for Sept poll

The Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District at the Senate, Monday Okpebholo has emerged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the rescheduled party primary held on Thursday.
Similarly, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olumide Akpata has been elected the governorship flag bearer of the Labour Party, LP at the party’s primary held in Benin City the Edo State capital on Friday.
It would be recalled that the trio of Senator Okpebholo, Hon Dennis Idahosa and Hon Anamero Dekeri, had after last Thursday primary laid claim to the party’s governorship ticket, a development that created division among the National Working Committee, NWC, members and the Governor Hope Uzodinma-led chairman.
Uzodinma-led primary committee had declared Dennis Idahosa the winner, while Dr Stanley Ugboajah declared Sen. Monday Okpebholo winner.
Consequently, Uzodimma was replaced with Bassey Otu to conduct a fresh primary.
But in the rescheduled primary which held on Thursday and chaired by the governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, announced the final collated results from the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.
According to him, Senator Okpebholo polled 12, 433 votes to defeat 11 other aspirants who contested the primary election.
Otu announced the votes scored by aspirants as thus: Blessing Agbomhere, 731 votes; Charles Airhiavbere 1,181 votes; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu 378 votes; Dennis Idahosa, 6, 541 votes; Clem Agba, 2, 732 votes, Lucky Imansuen, 493 votes; David Imuse, 423 votes; Oserhiemen Osunbor, 634 votes; Gideon Ikhine, 728 votes; Anamero Dekeri, 2, 566 and Ernest Umakhine, 2, 117.
Otu added that 12 aspirants contested the party’s governorship ticket, adding that “Sen. Okpebholo having satisfied all the requirements and having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner.”
He thanked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies, adding that in every contest there must be winners and appealed to other aspirants to rally round Okpebholo.
He called on all members of the party to remain united in order to ensure victory for the party in the September 21st governorship election.
Meanwhile, there has been jubilation in Benin City following the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP.
The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) emerged victorious at the Labour Party governorship primary conducted on Friday, at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Benin.
Announcing the results, Returning Officer of the primary and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, said Akpata polled 316 votes to defeat his closest opponents, Kenneth Imansuangbon who polled 7 votes; Prof. Sunday Eromosele, 7 votes; Sergius Ogun, 4 votes to emerge governorship candidate of the party.
Emetu said: “Akpata, having polled the highest number of votes and having met the requirements of the Labour Party constitution is hereby declared winner and return as the candidate of the Labour Party in the Edo State governorship election.”
While thanking other aspirants for their sportsmanship, he urged them to work with Akpata in the forthcoming election so that Labour Party comes out victorious.
Responding, Akpata paid tribune to late governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu whom he described as his mentor at the bar and in politics.
He said he is following the trajectory of Akeredolu, adding that he would not let supporters of the party down.