Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is not in support of using zoning to determine the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2024 governorship election in the state.
According to Oshiomhole, the President wants the most popular candidate to emerge through a free and fair primary election.
The former APC National Chairman made this known on Wednesday while speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
On those citing examples of Kogi and Benue State, Oshiomhole maintained that after allowing Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo to succeed Yahaya Bello even though they are from the same senatorial district, and also not stopping the Tivs from dominating Benue State governorship elections, the APC cannot single out Edo State for zoning.
He stressed that the President has not endorsed zoning for the rescheduled APC governorship primary slated for Thursday, February 22.
Naijaonpoint recalls the APC had declared its controversial governorship primary in Edo State over the weekend as inconclusive after Dennis Idahosa, had initially been declared winner by the chairman of the primary committee, Governor Hope Uzodinma.
This is as controversy trailed the primaries after two other candidates – Monday Okpebholo and Sunday Dekeri also claimed victory.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as the chairman of the Edo State governorship primary election committee.
The APC replaced Uzodinma with his Cross River State counterpart, Governor Bassey Otu.
This development was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the APC National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu.
The APC also named six other persons as the members of the revised 2024 Edo State gubernatorial primary election committee.
Similarly, the party named Barrister C.C Udenwa as the chairman of the primary election appeal committee, while Yunusa Mohammed would serve as the secretary of the appeal committee.