Will Oshiomhole be Okpebholo’s Achille’s Heel?

Questions have been raised about the future of the Etsako Federal Constituency seat following the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital

Barely one month after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Jude Ise Idehen winner of the February 25, 2023, election into the Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo State, there are strong indications that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Johnson Ughuma, may be on his way to snatching the mandate based on the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022

Recall that Ughuma had approached the Federal High Court, alleging that the APC did not hold any primary election that produced Idehen as the party’s candidate

In his originating summons marked FHC/B/CS/55/2023, Ughuma who is the plaintiff and a House of Representatives aspirant of Etsako Federal Constituency, is seeking a declaration that the purported primary election conducted by the APC in his constituency on May 27, 2022, was illegal, null, void, and of no effect

He further prayed the court to declare him as the authentic candidate of the APC in the February 25, 2023, House of Representatives election for Etsako Federal Constituency, having obtained the highest number of votes in that primary election

Delivering judgment on the case on Monday, March 20, 2023, Justice D. E. Osiagor in his ruling, declared as null and void the primary election of the APC, where Idehen was said to have emerged as the party’s candidate

The judge ruled that the exercise violated the Electoral Act, 2022, stressing that the APC did not follow due process in the conduct of the exercise

The court also restrained APC and INEC from recognizing Idehen as the party’s candidate in the February 25 election for Etsako Federal Constituency

Reacting to the court judgment, Ughuma said he was happy with the ruling, adding that justice had finally prevailed

“I have always said that the primary election that produced Idehen was illegal and today the court has vindicated me,” Ughuma said

The development is likely to throw the APC into further political turmoil, as it battles with the fallout of the judgment, with the possibility of a fresh primary election on the cards

Political observers believe that the judgment could be an Achille’s heel for the APC in Etsako Federal Constituency, as it could lead to the party losing the seat to the PDP

The PDP, which is the main opposition party in Edo State, has been waiting in the wings to seize any opportunity to gain an advantage in the political space

The party is likely to capitalize on the APC’s internal crisis to make a strong case for itself in the constituency

It is, however, left to be seen if the APC can resolve its internal crisis and put its house in order before the next election, which is likely to be keenly contested