Ighodalo, who is believed to be Governor Obaseki’s preferred
aspirant scored 577 votes to beat Bar Anselm Ojezua , Arthur Esele, Osaro
Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue all scoring zero,
while six votes were voided out of the 585 accredited delegates.
The deputy governor, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu who had earlier
emerged as a factional candidate in a parallel governorship primary election
scored one vote
Declaring him the winner, the chief returning officer of the
Edo PDP Guber Primaries and the the governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Dauda
Lawal said , “the Committee having carefully sorted out and counted the votes
found that Ighodalo scored 577 votes, Philip Shaibu scored 1 vote, while others
got zero.”
Lawal was assisted by Delta State Governor, Sheriff
Oborevwori and Senator James Manager, who were the vice chairman and secretary
of the committee respectively.
In his acceptance speech, Ighodalo, thanked Governor Godwin
Obaseki and the entire people of Edo State for their love and support noting
that Obaseki has laid the foundation for him to build upon if eventually
elected governor and promised to assemble young men and women for his
government to turn the state around.
“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 Godwin Obaseki has carried us, to the next level. I want to thank Godwin
Obaseki for the wonderful work he has done in the last seven and 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 each other’s mistakes. I promised to assemble the best
young men and women to turn the state around.” He said.
Earlier, the host Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, while
welcoming guests at the primary election, said, “Today, we are going through an
exercise that has been stipulated by our party. Even though it’s statutory, the
exercise will be life-changing because Nigeria is going through difficult times
and we can only overcome the challenges we are facing as a Country with the
right leadership.
“If we in Edo do not begin to show the right leadership that
will begin to reset Nigeria, God forbid, we may all be in trouble. PDP is the
only party that has what it takes to rule this Country. Again, we are showing
the example in the way we are conducting our leadership selection process.”
He added, “We are following our rules very assiduously; my
role as a host governor is to welcome all of you who are here, starting with
our members who elected the delegates that are carrying out this exercise
today. Thanks to members of the State and National Working Committee of our
great party, the PDP for being steadfast in the rules. I also thank all the
aspirants for exercising the spirits of sportsmanship.”
The election attracted the who is who in the PDP in the
state including former governor, Lucky Igbinedion, former Foreign Affairs
Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, Speaker of the state house of assembly, Blessing
Agbebaku, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Osarodion Ogie who is being
touted to be the running mate to Ighodalo, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Sir
Roland Owie, Owere Dickson Imasogie council chairmen from the 18 local
government chairmen, members of the state executive council, members of the state
executive council and several others.
But conspicuously missing were members of the Legacy
Coalition group of the PDP led by the Vice Chairman, South – South of the
party, Chief Dan Orbih, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party,
Hon Charles Idahosa, many members of the State Working Committee (SWC) and
several others.
