Onobun rejects APC primary result, claims victory in Edo constituency

The member representing Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Marcus Onobun, has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election for the constituency, insisting that he emerged winner of the exercise held over the weekend.

Onobun called on the party to formally recognise him as the authentic winner of the primary, arguing that available ward-level results supported his claim.

He made the demand in a petition submitted on Sunday to the APC Primary Election Petitions Committee, where he urged a full review of ward results alongside reports from party officials, agents, and other documentary evidence.

In the petition, he maintained that he secured the highest number of valid votes cast in the exercise.

“That I be declared the rightful winner of the APC primary, having secured majority of lawful votes,” he stated.

He further alleged that ward-level results across the constituency confirmed his victory, despite the official announcement of another candidate as winner.

The APC Primary Election Committee was reported to have declared Lucky Esiegbe as the winner of the contest, a result Onobun is now challenging.

He explained that the party had adopted the direct primary method, which allowed registered members across the 30 wards in the constituency to participate in selecting the candidate.

Onobun also alleged that there were irregularities in the collation and announcement of results in several wards, claiming that due process was not followed.

The lawmaker, who was previously elected under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before defecting to the APC in July 2025, attributed his defection to internal crises, leadership instability, and divisions within his former party.

He is also a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.