The chairman of the special committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Edo Central Senatorial District, Chief Tom Ikimi, disclosed on Sunday, January 14, in Benin that the committee engaged in consultations with seven governorship aspirants before selecting Lagos-based lawyer Asue Ighodalo, as the consensus aspirant for the district.
Ikimi emphasized that these consultations included meetings with 22 traditional rulers, numerous PDP leaders, and other stakeholders in the Edo Central senatorial district.
The governorship aspirants in Edo Central senatorial district consulted by the committee were Senator Clifford Ordia, John Yakubu, Martin Uhumoibhi, Friday Itulah, Anselm Ojezua, Marcus Onobun, and Asue Ighodalo.
Ikimi disclosed that Felix Akhabue, who was not one of the seven aspirants, sent an apology to the committee while stating that he was in Northern Nigeria at the time of the consultation.
He pointed out that Ighodalo was chosen as Edo Central senatorial district’s sole aspirant for the party’s governorship primary election on February 22, 2024, following his overwhelming support from co-aspirants and stakeholders in the district.
The chairman of the special committee, while presenting the report to the Chairman of Edo Central PDP Caucus/Senatorial PDP Chairman, Archbishop Anthony Okosun, stated that the committee’s members were given the mandate to meet and interact with governorship aspirants in Edo Central with a view to screening and recommending the best aspirant for the senatorial caucus for adoption.
He disclosed that members of the committee, who commenced sitting with the tour of the five local government areas in Esanland/Edo Central senatorial district on November 15, 2023, concluded their mission on January 10, 2024, after sitting six times.
The PDP’s national leader also urged members of the party in Edo Central and other parts of Edo State to continue to give peace a chance and shun violence ahead of the September 21, 2024, crucial governorship poll.