Edo Reps Primary: Onobun Accuses APC Committee of Electoral Breaches

By Arit Mbeh

The member representing Esan West, Esan Central in the House of Representatives, Hon. Marcus Onobun, has formally petitioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the outcome of the party’s direct primary election for Esan Central, Esan West and Igueben Federal Constituency, alleging widespread irregularities in the process thin allegedly produced Barr. Lucky Eseigbe as winner.

In a petition addressed to the Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Election Committee and the Appeal Committee in Edo State, Onobun rejected the declaration of Eseigbe as the party’s candidate, describing the exercise as deeply flawed and inconsistent with the party’s electoral guidelines.

According to the petition, the primary election, held on May 16, 2026, was approved by the APC leadership to be conducted through the direct primary mode, allowing registered party members across the 30 wards in the constituency to vote for their preferred candidate.

Onobun stated that the exercise recorded significant participation by party faithful, many of whom, he claimed, openly demonstrated support for his candidacy.

However, he alleged that the process was undermined by “grave irregularities, procedural breaches, and a shocking departure from established electoral guidelines.”

The federal lawmaker specifically accused electoral officials of failing to properly collate, announce, and return results at the ward level as required under the party’s approved process.

“Results from several polling units and wards were not properly brought to, collated, announced, or returned at the ward level,” the petition stated, adding that the absence of duly collated ward results had raised “serious questions about the credibility and authenticity of the figures eventually announced at the constituency level.”

Onobun further alleged that the final outcome announced by the committee contradicted voting patterns observed across the wards as well as reports received from party stakeholders, agents, and observers.

He maintained that the declaration of Barr. Lucky Eseigbe as winner “did not emanate from the authentic votes cast by party members but from a manipulated process that failed to reflect the true outcome of the election.”

The petition described the development as a violation of the APC Constitution, the party’s primary election guidelines, and democratic principles of fairness and transparency. It warned that the controversy could alienate grassroots supporters and undermine confidence in the party ahead of future elections.

As part of his demands, Onobun called on the election committee to review what he described as authentic results generated from accredited party agents and available documentary evidence.

He also urged the committee to investigate the alleged failure to properly collate and announce results at the ward level and to nullify the declaration of Barr. Lucky Eseigbe as winner of the primary election.

The lawmaker further asked the committee to declare him the rightful winner of the APC House of Representatives direct primary election for Esan Central, Esan West and Igueben Federal Constituency, insisting that he secured the majority of lawful votes cast by registered party members.

Onobun expressed confidence in the integrity and neutrality of the committee, urging it to “uphold fairness, party supremacy, and democratic due process” by correcting what he described as an injustice and restoring the true mandate of party members.