Former media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, has accused a group from the Niger Delta region of meddling in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Edo State, Nigeria. Onochie claimed that this “Niger Delta cabal” is working to obstruct the efforts of the election committee’s chairman, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross Rivers State, in ensuring a fair process.
In her statements, Onochie condemned the alleged group for perpetuating poverty in the region. These allegations have emerged amidst heightened tensions within the party, with former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi accusing Adams Oshiomhole, a Senator from Edo North, of attempting to sabotage the APC’s prospects in the upcoming gubernatorial race.
The turmoil intensified following the cancellation of the initial primary election, which resulted in three different candidates being declared as winners. The complexities unfolded further when the party declared the primary election inconclusive and scheduled its completion for Thursday, February 22, 2024. Governor Bassey Otu was appointed as the chairman of the primary election committee during this process.
The unfolding events depict a deeply contentious and convoluted electoral landscape within the APC in Edo State, with significant implications for the state’s political future.
