Marcus Onobum, former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker and member representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency, on Sunday alleged irregularities as the All Progressives Congress’ Primary Election Committee announced the winners in the nine federal constituencies.

Announcing the results at State Party Secretariat, Muhammed Ajana, the chairman of the Committee for the state in last Saturday’s House of Representatives primary election, declared winners: Dr Paddy Iyamu,  Oredo Federal Constituency; Omosede Igbinedion, Ovia Federal Constituency; Felix Osazee Igbinovia, Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency; Billy Osawaru, Uhunmwonde/Orhionmwon Federal Constituency; Odianosen Okojie, Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency.

Other winners as announced by the chairman included: Dr Lucky Eseigbe, Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency; Oladele Bankole-Balogun, Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency; Anamero Sunday Dekeri, Etsako Federal Constituency, and Andrew Ijegbai, Owan Federal Constituency.

The chairman, while issuing the winners certificates of return, said there was no  record of negative incidence in any of the venues of the primary election.

According to him, members of his committee did not sit in the state capital but sent its members to the fields for the elections.

Ajana said: “We have seen Edo as a pace setter for subsequent elections. We see that the election was more or less like a carnival. We didn’t just sit in the state capital but members of my electoral committee were sent out to various federal constituencies to conduct the primary for the House of Representatives.

“In Edo, it wasn’t a state of where people sit down behind the corridors of power to write names. This election was taken to the grassroots and the grassroots have elected their leaders to represent them in the various federal constituencies.”

Onobum, member representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency, however, kicked against the results announced as he cried foul in the election he lost to Eseigbe.

The former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker who brought his petition to the State Party Secretariat, said he could not find any official to receive it.

He described what happened in his area during the primary as a sham, claiming that he won the election and not Eseigbe.

“I am here at the Party State Secretariat in Benin to submit a petition to the Primary Election Committee as well as the Appeal Committee.

“As you all know, yesterday the 16th of May 2026 we had our primaries in my federal constituency and everybody came out en masse to vote for me, but I began to see online  some people brandishing results of our party, alleging that somebody has won the election”(Sic).