The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced former Chairman of Sterling Bank, Asue Ighodalo, as the winner of Edo State primary election of the party held on Thursday.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State was chairman of the election committee and chief returning officer of the election, while Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State was co-chairman.
The delegate election of the party held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium elected Ighodalo
The primary at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was more like a mere adoption of Ighodalo, who is backed by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Ighodalo polled 577 votes to beat his closest rival, Shaibu, who scored one vote while other candidates scored zero votes.
Eight other aspirants had vied in the contest. The aspirants are Arthur Esele, Anselm Ojezua, Omosede Igbinedion, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru, Felix Akhabue and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama.
One of the aspirants Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Omosede Igbinedion, withdrew from the contest, citing irregularities and corrupted process by the National Working Committee of the party for his withdrawal from the race.
He, however, stepped down for Ighodalo.
After the election, Ighodalo thanked Obaseki and the entire people of Edo State for their love and support, saying if elected at the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, he would be building on what he described as solid foundation that Obaseki had laid.
He said he would assemble young men and women for his government to turn the state around, adding that “I must thank the entire people of Edo State for their support and most especially the Governor Godwin Obaseki for the confidence he has in me.
“Governor Obaseki has laid the foundation for me to build upon if I am eventually voted as governor of the state. I will assemble young men and women that are capable of turning the fortunes of the state around.”
Earlier, Obaseki, while welcoming guests at the primary election, said, “Today, we are going through an exercise that has been stipulated by our party. Even though it’s statutory, the exercise will be life-changing because Nigeria is going through difficult times and we can only overcome the challenges we are facing as a country with the right leadership.
“If we in Edo do not begin to show the right leadership that will begin to reset Nigeria, God forbid, we may all be in trouble. The PDP is the only party that has what it takes to rule this country. Again, we are showing the example in the way we are conducting our leadership selection process.”
However, a parallel primary election held at another venue declared the Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu, winner.
Shaibu, who was not at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, scored 300 votes at the parallel primary election
The Deputy governor’s supporters alleged that they were chased away when they went to the accreditation venue, adding that the list of delegates published by the national leadership of the party was not authentic.
They said they saw names of people from Bayelsa and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The returning officer of the parallel delegate election, Bartholomew Moses, declared Shaibu winner, saying “During the counting of this primary election, Philip Shaibu has a score of 301 votes and, therefore, (I) hereby declare Philip Shaibu as the authentic elected candidate for this election in the PDP.”
The people had barely finished their election when gunmen stormed the venue. Dressed in vigilante’s uniforms, the gunmen came in two black, shot sporadically into the air, making the people scamper in different directions.
Shaibu said, “I appeal to all of you to be peaceful, I don’t want anybody to be injured, I don’t want anybody molested and I am happy the way you have conducted yourselves peacefully and have come to report to me that you were not allowed to be accredited but I want to tell you that no one man can determine the destiny of a people and by the grace of God they cannot disenfranchise you people.
“The law is clear that you people are the authentic delegates. Now that they have pushed you away, they want to go and replace you but I assure you that your vote must count, they cannot change and replace your names. I assure you that I will take your protest to the committee that is coming but you must remain peaceful in everything you are doing.”
Speaking to journalists later, Shaibu said, “I saw the crowd outside and I asked who they are and they said they are delegates, I said they should be directed to the venue of the accreditation but they said they were protesting because they have been sent away from the venue of accreditation and they won their election and they have their results.
“The election will hold and if a winner emerges with fake delegates, the election will not see the light of the day but if a winner emerges with the authentic delegate, there will be no problem, I am sure.”
