Renowned businessman Asue Ighodalo has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary for Edo State, beating other aspirants including Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu in the election held in Benin City on Thursday.
In the exercise at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in the Edo State capital, Ighodalo polled 577 votes to emerge as the state ruling party’s governorship candidate for the September 2024 election.
This is even as the Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu was earlier declared the winner of an Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a parallel governorship primary held elsewhere outside the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the scheduled venue of the PDP Edo governorship primary election.
Announcing the result of the primary at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the Chairman of the Edo PDP Primary Electoral Committee and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, declared the financial and legal expert as the winner of the exercise.
“I, therefore, declare Asuelimen
Ighodalo the winner of this concluded primary today with a total vote of 577. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,” Governor Dauda who is the chief returning officer for the election said.
“Therefore, I hereby return him elected as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming election in Edo State. My brother, congratulations,” the governor flanked by his Delta State counterpart and co-chairman of the election committee Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said.
Shaibu polled just a vote in the election.
‘I Will Be A Good Tool’
The PDP candidate is promising to give his all for the state if elected as the governor.
In his acceptance speech, Ighodalo who was dressed in a white kaftan and flanked by his wife Ifeyinwa Ighodalo thanked delegates, supporters, and the PDP for their backing.
“I am actually, totally humbled,” Ighodalo said. “I thank the good people of Edo State. In the last four months, I have got to meet them more,” he added.
Ighodalo also praised incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki for laying a good foundation, promising to “give my all” for the state.
“I am only a tool in this process and I promise you all I will be a good tool. By the grace of God, Edo State will move from where Governor Obaseki stopped,” the lawyer who hails from Okaigben, Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of the state said.
Ighodalo’s victory comes one month after he threw himself into the ring for the race. Before his emergence, a group in the party had declared Shaibu as the governorship candidate of the PDP in a parallel poll.
Earlier in the day before the declaration, a group of protesters who claimed to be delegates alleged they were denied accreditation at the main venue and subsequently took their protest to Shaibu’s residence.
The protesting delegates thereafter moved to another location where they reportedly held a parallel election and declared Shaibu the winner.
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