Julius Ihonvbere, the leader of the House of Representatives, has claimed victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for Owan East/Owan West Federal Constituency of Edo state ahead of the 2027 general elections. The lawmaker dismissed reports that he lost the nomination contest, providing official results to back his claim.
Victory Confirmed by Aide
In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Sunday, May 17, Samson Akhanieme, chief press secretary to the House Leader, described earlier reports as misleading. He insisted that Ihonvbere won the primary conducted across council wards in the constituency. Akhanieme said: "The just concluded APC House of Representatives primary for Owan Federal Constituency, Edo state, held this Saturday, May 16th, has been won by the Leader, House of Representatives and current Member representing the Federal Constituency, Prof. Julius Omozuanvbo Ihonvbere."
Detailed Vote Breakdown
Akhanieme provided a breakdown of votes among the three aspirants. He stated: "The overall votes cast in the electoral contest showed that Prof Ihonvbere polled 4,729 votes, while his closest rival, Hon. Andrew Ijegbai, recorded a total of 2,912 votes, with Hon. Abdul Oroh coming a distant third after polling just 29 votes." He added that Hon. Foly Ogedengbe and Barr. Friday Ojealaro had earlier stepped down from the race in solidarity with Ihonvbere. Result sheets and video clips from various wards in Owan East and Owan West local government areas were presented as evidence.
Call for Unity Ahead of 2027
Following the primary, Ihonvbere expressed gratitude to party members and stakeholders for their support. He appealed for unity within the APC ahead of the general elections. In a post-election interview, he solicited continued support and committed to working with other former aspirants to secure victory for the party in 2027.
Earlier, the APC successfully concluded its House of Representatives primaries across Nigeria. Notable winners included Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and James Faleke. Yusuf Buhari, son of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, also emerged as a first-time candidate in Katsina.
