Drama, chaos and confusion reigned supreme on Saturday during the conduct of the gubernatorial primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The exercise which began peacefully, ended up in chaos and two parallel candidates emerged.
Hon. Dennis Idahosa emerged winner of the result announced by the chairman of the election committee and governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma, while Senator Monday Okpepholo emerged winner of the result announced by the returning officer of the election, Stanley Ugbuaja.
Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs had earlier disrupted the collation of the result held at at Lushville Hotel and Suite, in GRA, Benin City.
Journalists were later invited to Protea Hotel, Hope Uzodimma announced that Dennis Idahosa won with 40,453 votes.
The governor of Cross Rivers state, Bassey Otu, was also present at the venue.
Uzodimma said: “There were kind of misinformation as regards to venue of the primary, this is the secretariat were results were collated and would be announced.
“Of the 12 aspirants that contested this primary, Clem Agba scored 100 votes, Sen. Monday Okpepholo 100,
Hon. Drkeri Anamero 230, Engr. Gideon Ikhine has 700 votes. David Imuse 400 voted, Charles Airhavebere 163 votes, Prof Osareime Osunbor 180 votes,
Dr. Blessing Agbomere 50 votes, Hon Denise Idahosa 40, 453 votes, Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe had two votes, and Lucky Imasuen and Pastor Ize-Iyamu scored two votes respectively.
“Therefore, Denise Idahosa having scored the highest votes cast, is hereby declared winner of the primary and hereby returned as the candidate of the party.”
He, however, did not annalize results from each of the 18 local government areas.
Not long after, journalists were again invited to the residence of a chieftain of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, for the conclusion of the disrupted collation at Lushville Hotel and Suite.
Present were the returning officer of the election, Stanley Ugbuaja, the acting state chairman of party, Jarret Tenebe, Monday Okpebholo, Lucky Imasuen and other party officials.
Announcing the results, Ugbaja said Sen. Okpepholo scored 12,145 votes to emerge the candidate of the party, while Idahosa scored 5,536 votes to come distance second.
