The All Progressives Congress (APC) is teetering on the brink of disaster as internal conflicts and strategic missteps threaten its chances in the upcoming Edo State governorship election scheduled for September.
The party’s vulnerabilities have been exposed, particularly through the controversial candidacy of Senator Monday Okpeholo.
Okpeholo, who secured the APC ticket under controversial circumstances, has failed to deliver on his promises of securing money to fund the election.
This has led to reluctance from APC governors and major donors to back the candidate who they say has the toga illegitimacy wrapped around his neck.
Adding to the party’s woes is the hard stance of the deputy governorship candidate and House of Representatives member, Dennis Idahosa.
Idahosa, who contested the ticket with Senator Okpebholo during the APC primary is said to have refused to fund the election despite being a running mate to the candidate.
A loyalist of former governor and now senator, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Idahosa is said to be currently squabbling with Okpebholo and former governorship candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
Ize-Iyamu, a Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor is backing Okpebholo but has been at loggerheads with Oshiomhole after he fell out with the former governor after the last governorship election in 2020 where he was the APC’s candidate.
With the election date approaching, the APC’s internal discord is increasingly seen as a decisive factor that could lead to its downfall during the election.