Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki-backed Asue Ighodalo on Thursday emerged governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at parallel indirect primary elections at different venues in Benin, the state capital.
Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives, was declared the winner by Moses Batholomew in his official residence on Commercial Avenue, near Government House in the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin, with 301 of the 563 PDP’s authentic delegates’ votes in Edo.
Ighodalo, a Lagos-based lawyer, emerged as the standard bearer at the shadow poll that took place at the Lawn Tennis Court of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
Shortly after Shaibu’s declaration as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo, armed thugs, including members of the Edo State Vigilance Service, were mobilised to the venue and started shooting sporadically.
But Shaibu and his teeming supporters escaped while the hoodlums continued to shoot at their vehicles, with many allies of the Edo Deputy Governor injured.
Edo Deputy Governor, in an acceptance speech, dedicated his victory to God Almighty, his teeming supporters, and the good people of the South South State.
As of the time of Shaibu’s declaration, the loyalists of Obaseki were about voting at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for Ighodalo while the consensus aspirant of Chief Dan Orbih-led Legacy Coalition in PDP, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a former member of the House of Representatives, decided to withdraw from the skewed race.
When contacted, mobile lines of Shaibu’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebomhiana Musa were not available, while text and WhatsApp messages had not been replied as of press time
Ighodalo polled 577 votes to beat Anselm Ojezua, Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue, who all scored zero, while Shaibu with six votes was declared void out of the 585 accredited delegates.
One of the governorship aspirants, Omosede Igbinedion, the daughter of the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Sir Gabriel Igbimedion, withdrew from the race at the stadium.
The Chief Returning Officer of the Edo PDP governorship primary election committee, Dauda Lawal, who is the Governor of Zamfara State, noted that members of the committee, having carefully sorted and counted the votes, found that Ighodalo scored 577 votes.
Lawal was assisted by Delta Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator James Manager, who were the Vice Chairman and Secretary of the committee respectively.
Ighodalo, in his acceptance speech, thanked Edo Governor and the entire people of the State for their love and support.
He said: “I want to thank you for making me a tool, and I promise you that I will be a useful tool, and by the grace of God, Edo State will move from where Obaseki has carried us, to the next level.
“I want to thank Obaseki for the wonderful work he has done in the last seven and a half years. I know that in a year or two, people will keep talking about Obaseki. We have not seen the value of the work he has done, but he is like a builder laying the foundation for a hundred story building.
“No man is perfect. We will all continue to repair and work on one another’s mistakes.”
Ighodalo also promised to put in his best in the service of Edo State and its residents if elected on September 21.