Edo 2024: APC Settles For Direct Primary 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee has declared that its candidate for the September governorship election in Edo State will emerge through a direct primary.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Duro Meseko, revealed this at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday.
Checks revealed that the party leadership held a meeting with aspirants on Monday night at the party national secretariat with the aim of pruning down the list of contenders ahead of its primary fixed for February 3.
Flanked by Edo State APC Publicity Secretary, Barrister Peter Uwadie-Igbinigie, and Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, the National Deputy Publicity Scribe said the resolution to adopt direct primary enjoys the confidence of the aspirants.
The Tide source’s checks revealed that, by virtue of the party constitution, its candidate for any election could emerge through three options: direct, indirect, and consensus.
Hon. Meseko further disclosed that at the Monday meeting, “stakeholders were urged by the NWC to promote unity within the ranks of the party in order to go into the election as one family bound by progressive ideals and fully geared to reclaim the party’s mandate in Edo State.”
Speaking at the Monday night meeting with party stakeholders in Edo State and the APC NWC, which had Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in attendance, former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, said the ruling party was determined to unseat the PDP.
He said, “We are particularly determined; as you can see, everybody here has a robust past and even present. We are determined to reclaim Edo State.
“I used the word reclaim because Edo is ours. “We lost it due to several factors, some of which were caused by some APC elements.
“Nobody needs to lecture Mr Chairman on this because, even as governor of Kano State, you offered to lead the last campaign and even relocated.
“Almost all of the Kano state executive council relocated to Benin for days just to ensure that the last governorship election that we won was successful, but unfortunately, not everybody believes in party participation to the extent that you did.
“We will never forget, and we therefore wish to say thank you for what you did for us before. Even then, you were not the party leader; you were a governor, and you sacrificed executive time.
“Now we can see by providence that today you are here as the chairman of the party”.
“Given your commitment the other time when you did not have any obligation, but rather than voluntarily accepting to lead and to help us win the election in Edo, now I believe you have a duty much more compelling to see that this election is won.”