Shaibu wins Edo PDP parallel gov primary

Shaibu wins Edo PDP parallel gov primary

The Edo State Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday held a parallel governorship primary that produced the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, as the candidate for the September 21 election.

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.”

The people had barely finished their exercise when gunmen invaded the venue.

They were dressed in vigilante outfits and came in many vehicles, including two black unmarked Toyota Hiace trucks, an unmarked white Sienna and a white Hilux among others.

They shot indiscriminately into the air as the people scampered in different directions for safety

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 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 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.”