The deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has emerged as the winner of the parallel People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Edo State.
Shaibu won the primaries with over three hundred and one votes.
Meanwhile, the Governor Godwin Obaseki faction of the party is yet to commence its own election.
It is expected that 10 aspirants would loggerhead for the ticket of the ruling PDP in Edo State today.
The 10 aspirants cleared to contest the governorship primary are Hon. Omosede Igbinedion; former chairman Edo State APC, Anselem Ojezua; former chairperson of Esan West Local Government Area, Felix Akhabue; Felix Akhabue, former managing director of Sterling Bank, Dr Asue Ighodalo; Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; Arthur Esene, former House of Representatives member, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama; Amb. Martin Uhumoibi, Osaro Onaiwu and Umoru Hadizat.
No fewer than 576 delegates were expected to decide the fate of the 10 aspirants at the primaries holding at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
The exercise will be conducted by an electoral committee chaired by Zamfara State Gov Dauda Lawal with Governor Sheriff Oborevwhori of Delta as co-chairman.
Other members of the committee are Senator James Manager (secretary), Senator Bayero Nafada, Mrs Nella Rabana, SAN, Hadiza Mustapha and Chief Felix Hyatt.
The party’s State Organising Secretary, Tony Anenih Jr., released the processes of the exercise in a statement, highlighting where the delegates and other people involved in the process, including the media, would gather, how they would be accredited, and how the exercise would be conducted.
After weeks of consultations amid high-wire intrigues, a host of the aspirants are upbeat over their chances of winning the ticket in what is being billed as a two-horse race between Ighodalo and Ogbeide-Ihama.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Governor Godwin Obaseki-backed aspirant, Dr. Ighodalo, would emerge as the governorship candidate of the PDP.
Protesting aspirants may be present. It was gathered late yesterday that the eight grumbling aspirants may be at the venue of the election, contrary to earlier insinuations that they may hold parallel congress.
Ighodalo could emerge because virtually all the adhoc and national delegates that would participate in the process emerged through the delegates elections that the other aspirants did not participate in.
While some of the aspirants were still contemplating attending the congress or not, Ighodalo was said to have visited Hon. Omosede Igbinedion, daughter of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, who last week declared that she was abiding by the outcome of the delegates congress because she was a loyal party person.
Source: Vanguard