Protests are currently trailing the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives Primaries in Edo State as two serving members of the House of Representatives have rejected the results, citing irregularities and manipulations.
The members are Marcus Onobun, representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency, who was a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, and Hon Esosa Iyawe, representing Oredo Federal Constituency.
Onobun, who took his petition to the APC secretariat in Benin City, said he could not find any official to receive his petition, adding that what happened in his area was a sham.
He said he won the election and not Lucky Eseigbe, who was declared the winner by the chairman of the Primaries Committee, Hon Muhammed Ajana
He said, “I am here at the Party State Secretariat in Benin to submit a petition to the Primary Election Committee as well as the Appeal Committee.
“As you all know, yesterday, the 16th of May 2026, we had our primaries in my federal constituency, and everybody came out en masse to vote for me, and I began to see online that some people are brandishing results of our party, alleging that somebody has won the election.”
On his part, Hon. Esosa Iyawe, representing Oredo Federal Constituency on Sunday, rejected the outcome of the primary election, citing “widespread irregularities, inconsistencies, and acts of violence that marred the exercise.”
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, Iyawe stated that the primary election process fell far short of the democratic standards and directives laid down by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had earlier emphasised that all direct primary elections across the country must be conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
He said his supporters and party members were disenfranchised during the exercise, particularly in parts of Oredo West, where some of his followers were reportedly assaulted and prevented from participating freely in the electoral process.
He added, “that certain influential individuals within Oredo choose the path of intimidation and violence rather than allowing party members to exercise their democratic rights peacefully.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Primaries Committee for the state, Hon Muhammed Ajana, while announcing the winners in the nine federal constituencies, said that
Dr Paddy Iyamu won Oredo Federal Constituency; Hon. Omosede Igbinedion for Ovia Federal Constituency; Hon. Felix Osazee Igbinovia, Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency; Hon. Billy Osawaru for Uhunmwonde/Orhionmwon Federal Constituency; Hon. Odianosen Okojie for Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency.
Others are Dr Lucky Eseigbe for Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency; Barr. Oladele Bankole-Balogun for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency; Hon. Anamero Sunday Dekeri for Etsako Federal Constituency, and Hon. Andrew Ijegbai for Owan Federal Constituency.
