The just concluded ad-hoc delegate election of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State is currently embroiling in controversy.
The outcome of the exercise, superintendent by Enugu state governor, Peter Mbah, has been rejected by nine out of ten governorship’s aspirants of the party.
The National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih, while addressing the aggrieved aspirants who visited him in his Benin City residence to protest the conduct of the delegate election, criticised Governor Mbah for his role in the exercise.
Orbih assured the aspirants that the matter will be addressed by the national leadership of the party, adding that the cry that a “stranger would not fly the ticket of the party would not end up in vain”.
The nine aggrieved aspirants were claiming adulteration of the election officers for the ward ad-hoc election, a development that led to the withdrawal of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde from his role as chairman of the PDP Committee to supervise the ad-hoc election.
Nine of the 10 aspirants with the exception of Asue Ighodalo had earlier petitioned Makinde and the National Working Committee, NWC alleging that the list of election officers had been adulterated with Edo and Delta State government officials.
Orbih, who was the former state chairman of party, however commended the aspirants and other party officials, saying: “I salute your courage, I salute your commitment. We appreciate you all. Your struggle and effort is not personal but for our collective interest and dream of a better Edo state.
“What took place yesterday, was Obaseki’s ad-hoc delegate election and not PDP. I have listened to the position of the aspirants who disassociated themselves from yesterday’s show of shame purportedly supervised by the Governor of Enugu who flew into Benin and after meeting Governor Obaseki in Government House went with him to George Idah collation centre to record a television scene to justify the illegalities carried out across the state.
“Let me join all of you to condemn and reject the shameless show of yesterday. I am happy the aspirants are taking steps to set aside the sad Nollywood event of yesterday.
“Be assured that like Liverpool fans, you will never walk alone. I appeal to all party faithful to remain calm. I will once again declare that Edo PDP will not support a stranger for the 2024 Guber election.
“They are writing all sorts in the social media, but like they say a ripe fruit attracts stones and arrows. We shall overcome.”
Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the National Working Committee (NWC) and other stakeholders for the peaceful and credible conduct of the ward delegates’ election to elect three ad-hoc delegates across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 192 wards of the State.
According to a statement by Mr. Anthony Anenih, the State Organising Secretary of Edo PDP, the exercise was mostly peaceful across the State with only one incident at Jattu, the hometown of the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, where eight of the officials heading to Etsako Central Local Government Area for the election were abducted.
Anenih, while condemning the abduction of the officials, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to order a swift investigation of the incident and promptly ensure the release of the affected officials, whose families are troubled by the fate of their loved ones.
He said, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward delegates election to elect the three ad-hoc delegates have been concluded across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 192 wards in Edo State.
“The electoral officers who concluded the elections have since returned with results from the election handed over to the electoral committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
“The process which was observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and various civil society groups was reported to be mostly peaceful across the State with only one incident at Jattu, the hometown of the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, where eight of the officials heading to Etsako Central Local Government Area for the election were abducted.”
Anenih said, “The party hereby calls on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to order a swift investigation of the incident and promptly ensure the release of the affected officials, whose families are troubled by the fate of their loved ones.”
He added, “Edo State chapter of the PDP by this medium expresses profound gratitude to leaders of our great party, the National Working Committee, the Ward Electoral Committee, and all organs of the party for their keen supervision of this process that has resulted in a successful ward.
