As the All Progressives Congress, APC, was conducting its primary election on Saturday to nominate a candidate for the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, the news broke that one of the party’s aspirants, Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, had withdrawn from the race.
DAILY POST reports that Umakhihe’s withdrawal brings the total number of aspirants that have withdrawn from the primary election so far to three.
Those who had earlier backed out of the race are Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Chief Lucky Imasuen, the former deputy governor of the state.
In the letter personally signed and addressed to the Edo State acting chairman of the party, Jarrett Tenebe, he said he decided to withdraw from the contest after his “latest interactions” with the party’s leadership.
The letter of withdrawal by Umakhihe, the immediate past Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, was dated February 16 and titled, “Discontinuation of My Campaign.”
Umakhihe said he took the decision because the campaign could not go on ‘under the present circumstances.’