The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled a hearing for May 8, 2024, regarding the lawsuit challenging the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo State, Monday Okpebholo. Anamero Dekeri, one of the aspirants in the primary election, filed the suit, seeking to overturn Okpebholo's declaration as the party's candidate.
Dekeri, a House of Representatives member representing Etsako Federal Constituency, was initially declared the winner in the state governorship primary election. However, the Chairman of the primary election committee, Hope Uzodimma, declared Dennis Idahosa as the winner, while the returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, declared Okpebholo as the APC candidate, leading to the declaration of an inconclusive election and a subsequent supplementary election.
In the suit, Dekeri is requesting the court to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing Okpebholo as the APC candidate and to declare the primary election that produced Okpebholo as unconstitutional, undemocratic, null, and void. The APC, INEC, and Okpebholo are named as the first to third defendants, respectively.
The reliefs sought by Dekeri include a declaration that the submission of Okpebholo's name to INEC by the APC is unconstitutional and an order setting aside the nomination of Okpebholo as the party's standard flag bearer for the governorship election in Edo State slated for September 21, 2024.
