By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Friday lost an assembly seat to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

This came after the declaration of Gallant Sylvanus Peter of the PDP as the duly elected member representing Estako West II constituency of the state house of assembly by the state election petition tribunal.

The PDP candidate had challenged the declaration of Gowon Yakubu, candidate of the APC, as winner of the 11 April, 2015 polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the tribunal.

Delivering judgment, chairman of the tribunal, E. Abuua, held that the notice of intention to hold party primaries sent to INEC by the APC, was less than the mandatory 21 days, adding that the notice of intention to hold primary was given on November 13 2014 while the primaries were held on 1 December, 2014.

He added that this meant that Yakubu was not duly nominated by the APC.

The tribunal, therefore, said all the votes cast for the APC candidate were wasted.

It declared that as a result of this, the first runner up who had 4,001 votes was the right person to be declared winner of the election.

State chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, said the judgment was a proof that the PDP is in charge of the state, adding that the judgment had kept the hope of Edo people alive.

Orbih noted that in line with the wind of change, The Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole was now represented by a PDP lawmaker.