The former aspirant of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Peter Okoeguale, yesterday, criticised the party leadership and the process that produced Azheme Azena as the party’s standard bearer for the 2024 Edo State governorship election.
Briefing newsmen at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Benin City, Okoeguale alleged that the primary was skewed in favour of Azena by the leadership of the party.
He claimed that the delegates from Edo South Senatorial District were disenfranchised because they would have voted for him.
Okoeguale also alleged that Azena replaced the names of the original delegates with his church members from Omega Fire Ministry, calling for outright cancellation or being declared the winner.
According to a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yakubu Shendam, Azena polled 211 votes to defeat three other aspirants to emerge victorious at a keenly contested primary held at Depraisery Event Centre, Ugor Road, in Benin City on Friday, February 23, 2024.
Announcing the result at the end of the exercise, Chairman of the NNPP Edo State Primary/ Election Committee, Kawu Sumaila, declared Azena as the winner of the primary, beating Peter Okieguale, who polled 100 votes to the second position, while Rev Sebastian Iyere and Balogun Engeyemhe polled 25 and 17 votes for the third and fourth position.
