PDP primaries produce two parallel governorship candidates

…As Obaseki, Lawal applaud Ighodalo’s emergence

Like the All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary elections conducted last weekend, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections yesterday produced two governorship candidates.

The outcome is not unconnected to the power tussle between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu.

According to the results emerging from the primaries conducted by the Chief returning officer of the Edo PDP Guber Primaries and the the governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Dauda Lawal, Foremost lawyer and investment banker, Asue Ighodalo emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He defeated other aspirants in a peaceful but security-tight primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

One of the aspirants, Hon Omosede Igbinedion stepped down for him on the election ground “for the interest of the party.”

Ighodalo, who is believed to be Governor Obaseki’s preferred aspirant scored 577 votes to beat Bar Anselm Ojezua , Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue all scoring zero, while six votes were voided out of the 585 accredited delegates.

The deputy governor, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu who had earlier emerged as a factional candidate in a parallel governorship primary election scored one vote.

Speaking Dauda said , “the Committee having carefully sorted out and counted the votes found that Ighodalo scored 577 votes, Philip Shaibu scored 1 vote, while others got zero.”

Lawal was assisted by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator James Manager, who were the vice chairman and secretary of the committee respectively.

In his acceptance speech, Ighodalo, thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki and the entire people of Edo State for their love and support noting that Obaseki has laid the foundation for him to build upon if eventually elected governor and promised to assemble young men and women for his government to turn the state around.

“I want to thank you for making me a tool, and I promise you that I will be a useful tool and by the grace of God, Edo State will move from where Godwin Obaseki has carried us, to the next level. I want to thank Godwin Obaseki for the wonderful work he has done in the last seven and half years.

“I know that in a year or two people will keep talking about Obaseki. We have not seen the value of the work he has done, but he is like a builder laying the foundation for a hundred story building. No man is perfect,we will all continue to repair and work on each other’s mistakes. I promised to assemble the best young men and women to turn the state around,” he said.

In his remarks, Governor Godwin Obaseki, 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. 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.”

He added, “We are following our rules very assiduously; my role as a host governor is to welcome all of you who are here, starting with our members who elected the delegates that are carrying out this exercise today. Thanks to members of the State and National Working Committee of our great party, the PDP for being steadfast in the rules. I also thank all the aspirants for exercising the spirits of sportsmanship.”

The election attracted the who is who in the PDP in the state including former governor, Lucky Igbinedion, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, Speaker of the state house of assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Osarodion Ogie who is being touted to be the running mate to Ighodalo, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Sir Roland Owie, Owere Dickson Imasogie council chairmen from the 18 local government chairmen, members of the state executive council, members of the state executive council and several others.

But conspicuously missing were members of the Legacy Coalition group of the PDP led by the Vice Chairman, South – South of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Hon Charles Idahosa, many members of the State Working Committee (SWC) and several others

Meanwhile, while some delegates were being accredited at Edo Hotel Marquee to proceed to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the primary election, another set of delegates met in a facility in Commercial Avenue where they announced Shaibu as the candidate of the PDP.

They claimed that they went to the venue for accreditation but were chased away by security agencies.

They also alleged that the list of delegates published by the national leadership of the party was not the authentic one, adding that they saw names of people from Bayelsa State and members of the All Progressives Congress.

Declaring Shaibu winner of the election, Bartholomew Moses said, “During the counting of this primary election, Philip Shaibu has a score of 301 votes and therefore, we hereby declare Philip Shaibu as the authentic elected candidate for this election in the PDP.”

Before the election, the delegates led by Festus Owu had protested at the deputy governor’s official lodge where they complained to him that they had been disenfranchised.

Speaking to the protesting delegates, 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 votes 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 were and they said they were 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 the 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 delegates, there will be no problem, I am sure.”