A former Chairman of Sterling Bank, Asue Ighodalo, on Thursday, emerged the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party primary election in Edo State.
Ighodalo was elected at the delegate election of the party held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
But the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, held a parallel primary elsewhere and was declared parallel winner.
The primary at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was more like a mere adoption of Ighodalo, who is backed by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Ighodalo scored a total of 577 votes to beat his closest rival, Shaibu, who scored one vote while other candidates scored zero vote.
A total of 10 aspirants had contested for the ticket. Some of the aspirants, including Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Omosede Igbinedion, withdrew participation in the election.
Other aspirants include Arthur Esele, Anselm Ojezua, Omosede Igbinedion, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru, Felix Akhabue and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama.
While Ogbeide-Ihama blamed irregularities and corrupted process by the National Working Committee of the party for his withdrawal from the race, Omosede Igbinedion stepped down for Asue Ighodalo.
Also, Shaibu stayed away having organised a parallel election at another venue, and emerged candidate with 300 votes.
In his acceptance speech Ighodalo thanked Obaseki and the entire people of Edo State for their love and support.
He said if he wins 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 promised to assemble young men and women for his government to turn the state around.
He said, “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.”
The 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.
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.”
Meanwhile, Shaibu was declared winner at a parallel primary.
His supporters claimed they went to the accreditation venue but were chased away by security agents.
They also alleged that the list of delegates published by the national leadership of the party was not authentic, adding that they saw names of people from Bayelsa and members of the All Progressives Congress.
Declaring Shaibu winner of the elections, the returning officer, Bartholomew Moses, said, “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 exercise when gunmen invaded the venue. They were dressed in vigilantes outfits and came in several vehicles, including two black unmarked Toyota Hiace trucks, an unmarked white Sienna, a white Hilux and several other vehicles.
They shot sporadically into the air, making the people to scamper in different directions.
Speaking to 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 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.”
