Mr Marcus Onobun, the member representing Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election for the constituency, insisting he emerged winner of the exercise held over the weekend.
Onobun begged the party to officially declare him the genuine winner of the primary, saying the ward-level results available backed his claim.
He made the demand in a petition filed on Sunday to the APC Primary Election Petitions Committee, seeking a full review of ward results in addition to reports from party officials, agents and other documentary evidence.
He stated in the petition that he got the highest number of valid votes cast in the exercise.
“I want to be declared the authentic winner of the APC primary having won majority of lawful votes,” he said.
He further claimed that he had won the ward level results from across the constituency but the declared result showed another candidate as the winner.
The APC Primary Election Committee was reported to have declared Lucky Esiegbe the winner of the contest which Onobun is now contesting.
He said the party had adopted the direct primary mode, which enabled registered members from the 30 wards in the constituency to participate in the selection of the candidate.
Onobun also alleged that the collation and announcement of results in several wards were marred by irregularities and claimed that due process was not followed.
The lawmaker who was elected under Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before defecting to the APC in July 2025, said he was forced to leave the party due to the internal crises, lack of leadership stability and divisions in the party.
He is a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and a member of the board of trustees, APC.
