Babatunji Wusu –
In an unexpected development, the Peoples Democratic Party of Edo State (PDP) held a parallel congress on Thursday and announced Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of the state, as the party’s nominee.
Given that the delegates were divided between two different groups, this development has exacerbated already-existing splits within the party.
A different group of delegates met on Commercial Avenue while the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was being ready for the primary election.
Shaibu was declared the PDP’s elected candidate at this different location, deviating from the scheduled events in the stadium.
The gathering gathered on Commercial Avenue asserted that security agents had forced them out of the stadium when they had first tried to participate in the accreditation procedure.
They further claimed that the PDP’s national leadership had issued an inaccurate list of delegates, claiming that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those from Bayelsa State had been included among the Edo PDP delegates.
“We hereby declare Philip Shaibu as the authentic elected candidate for this election in the PDP,” Bartholomew Moses declared, announcing Shaibu as the victor of the primary election. Shaibu received 301 votes during the counting of the ballots.
As soon as the practice was almost over, gunmen broke into the area.
They arrived in a number of cars, including a white Hilux, an unmarked white Ssienna, two black Toyota Hiace trucks, and several more vehicles. They were dressed in vigilante clothing.
People scrambled in all directions to get away as they were firing intermittently into the air.
Festus Owu headed the delegation of delegates who had protested at the deputy governor’s official lodge prior to the election, complaining to him about their lack of voting rights.
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 vote 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 if 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 delegate, there will be no problem, I am sure.”
