Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Thursday 22nd February 2024, won the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after emerging victorious at the parallel primaries of the party. Shaibu polled 301 votes of the 559 votes cast. While waiting for Governor Godwin Obaseki’s faction of the party to conduct its election, party delegates affirmed their support for Shaibu, insisting that they were the “authentic delegates”.
The exercise which was conducted by an electoral committee chaired by Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, and counterpart Governor Sheriff Oborevwhori of Delta as co-chairman at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin saw No fewer than 576 delegates deciding the fate of the 10 aspirants.
The 10 aspirants include Hon. Omosede Igbinedion; former chairman Edo State APC, Anselm Ojezua; former chairperson of Esan West Local Government Area, Felix Akhabue; Felix Akhabue, former managing director of Sterling Bank, Dr Asue Ighodalo; Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; Arthur Esene, former House of Representatives member, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama; Amb. Martin Uhumoibi, Osaro Onaiwu and Umoru Hadizat.
However, before the parallel primary, some delegates protested that they were barred from participating in the process of accreditation and voting. This resulted in a rancor in which the Edo State Security Network, ESSN was called upon to resolve.
Festus Owu, spokesperson of the protesters, however, called on the deputy governor of the state to ensure that their votes counted, that failure of this, they will work against the party’s interest in September.
Responding to this request, Shaibu assured them that their votes would count.
