There is palpable tension across the 18 local government areas of Edo State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates await the arrival of materials for the conduct of the House of Assembly primary election.
BusinessDay’s findings revealed that the primaries, which were billed to begin in the morning for the 24 seats in the state house of assembly, were yet to start by 5pm, the time this report was filed.
A visit to some of the venues for the election in Benin metropolis, including at Ikpoba-Okha, Oredo council, among others, indicates that only delegates were at the location without party officials or voting materials.
The same development, which was also observed in Edo Central and Edo North, made many of the delegates to be stranded as there is no one to inform them on the next line of action.
At Upper Sakponba in Ikpoba-Okha local government area, one of the venues for the election, the delegates numbering more than 20, said they have been at the venue since morning waiting for the election to begin.
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One of the delegates, who didn’t want his name on print, said “I have been here since 9am, but we are yet to commence the exercise as scheduled.”
However, a source in the party told our reporter that with the current situation on ground the leadership of the party might adopt a consensus.
But, Peter Igbinigie, publicity secretary of Edo APC, told BusinessDay that candidates will not emerge through consensus, adding that the exercise was delayed because the materials were yet to arrive Benin from Abuja.
“We are not settling for consensus. Do you know how many constituencies we have in Edo? It is quite many. How do we settle for consensus in the 24 constituencies in Edo State? It is not possible.
“Our men are on ground waiting for the arrival of the people and materials from Abuja. Our supervisors are on ground, and when the materials arrive, we will take them to the various centers. The exercise may spill into the night, but it will not pass today.
“They are not bulky materials, and the delegates are few. Let’s say 50 delegates in each constituencies,” Igbinigie said.
