Mr. Marcus Onobun, the member of the House of Representatives who represents the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency, has rejected the results of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the constituency, claiming that he won the exercise that took place over the weekend.
Onobun argued that the available ward-level results validated his claim and urged the party to formally acknowledge him as the true primary winner.
In a petition he filed with the APC Primary Election Petitions Committee on Sunday, he called for a thorough examination of the ward results in addition to reports from party officials, agents, and other supporting documentation.
He claimed in the petition that he received the most legitimate votes cast during the exercise.
He declared, “That I be declared the rightful winner of the APC primary, having secured the majority of lawful votes.”
He further claimed that even though another candidate was formally declared the winner, ward-level results throughout the constituency validated his victory.
Lucky Esiegbe was reportedly proclaimed the winner of the contest by the APC Primary Election Committee, a decision that Onobun is currently contesting.
He clarified that the party had chosen to use the direct primary method, which permitted registered members from all 30 of the constituency’s wards to take part in choosing the candidate.
Additionally, Onobun claimed that due process was not followed and that there were anomalies in the compilation and announcement of results in a number of wards.
The lawmaker, who was elected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before switching to the APC in July 2025, blamed internal conflicts, unstable leadership, and party divisions for his defection.
Additionally, he served as the Edo State House of Assembly’s Speaker.
About The Author
