Edo Election: Take Your Complaints To Abuja, Edo PDP Chairman Tells Shaibu, Others

The Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, on Monday, urged the nine governorship aspirants who boycotted Sunday’s delegates’ election to approach the party’s appeal panel to ventilate their grievances.

He urged them to watch their public utterances in order not to jeopardise the PDP’s chances of winning the September 21 governorship election in the state.

He says the appeal panel will sit on February 7 in Abuja.

The aspirants, who faulted the Sunday delegates election, include the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Anselm Ojezua, Felix Akhabue, Amb. Martin Uhomoibhi, Hafia Umoru,Omosede Igbinedion, Dr Earl Onaiwu and Arthur Esene.

They had on Sunday boycotted the exercise and written a protest letter to the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, and  the National Vice Chairman South-South of the party, Chief Dan Orbih.

You will recall that the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who was the Chairman of the Edo Ad Hoc Ward Congresses Electoral Committee, withdrew from the process without giving any reason.

But the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, who was the deputy chairman of the committee, okayed the exercise, noting that it witnessed a large turnout of participants.

Responding, to Makinde’s withdrawal the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, describing it as unfortunate but said it did not undermine the credibility of the exercise, given the large turnout of participants.

Addressing the press on Monday at the party’s secretariat in Benin, the Edo PDP chairman, Aziegbemi,also described the Sunday exercise as fair and credible and urged the nine aggrieved aspirants to approach the party’s appeal panel in Abuja.

He urged the aggrieved aspirants to be mindful of their utterances so as not to bring the party  into disrepute.

He said the aim of the party was to ensure it remained in office by winning the upcoming September 21 governorship election, stating that the party  had carried everyone along and left the door of reconciliation open.

 “In line with the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP, the National Working Committee organised the election of the ad hoc delegates in Edo State.

“I have never seen a well organised and transparent election in the history of the party since I joined in 1999. I challenge anyone with a contrary opinion to bring out any evidence. We printed the register and ensured the election took place in 192 wards. Those who came to vote had to show their membership and voter cards to take part in the process.

“We made sure all the electoral officers moved to their centres on time and all the names of the aspirants were read out to ensure fairness and they could have been voted for if they were not on the ground.

“I urge the nine aggrieved aspirants to take their grievances to the appeal panel headed by Dickson Seriaki on February 7 in Abuja to lodge their complaints and desist from utterance that can tarnish the image of the party,” he added.

Aziegbemi said 563 delegates were elected, stating that election to choose 31 delegates could not take place at Etsako Central due to the alleged abduction of of nine electoral officers, who he said, were yet to be found.

“We will be at the appeal panel on February 7 and lodge our complaints and the decision reached will determine our next line of action,”