The crisis rocking the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has taken a different turn after the deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who contested during the primary, was declared the winner by a faction group in the party.
Shaibu and the group stormed the National Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja on Wednesday, demanding a certificate of return as the party candidate for Edo polls.
He said, “Today is the day set aside for the collection of certificate of return for the winner of the primary. I understand someone came yesterday and was given, well, the court will decide…”
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On February 22, 2023, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held parallel primaries in the state, which resulted in the selection of two candidates—Philip Shaibu and Asue Ighodalo—for the governorship of Edo in 2024.
At the Samuel Ogbemudia primary, Ighodalo emerged victorious with 577 votes, while Shaibu was proclaimed the winner with 301 votes.
Shaibu was declared the PDP’s candidate by a group of delegates who met in a building on Commercial Avenue while some delegates were accredited at the Edo Hotel Marquee to go to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the primary election.
The faction alleged that security personnel escorted them out to obtain accreditation after entering the venue.
They further stated that they had seen names on the list of delegates released by the party’s national leadership, which they claimed corresponded with the names of Bayelsa State citizens and members of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
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.”
On the other hand, the governorship primary committee, led by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, said 594 delegates were elected to participate in the primary, while 585 delegates were accredited to vote.
Announcing the final votes, Lawal, the Chief Returning Officer for the governorship primary and the chairman of the committee primary said Asue Ighodalo scored 577 votes, while his closest rival, Philip Shaibu, scored one vote.
He said Anselm Ojezua, Osaro Onaiwu, Felix Akhabue, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru, and Arthur Esele scored zero votes, while Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Omosede Igbinedion withdrew from the race while six were voided.
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