Nine PDP Governorship Aspirants in Edo Threaten Legal Action Over Primary Grievances

Nine dissatisfied aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, competing for the governorship primary scheduled for February 22, 2024, have issued a threat to pursue legal action against the party if their grievances are not addressed.

The nine aspirants boycotted the ward congress held on February 4 and the local delegates congress held yesterday, February 10, across 192 wards and 17 local government areas of the state.

The congress did not take place in Etsako Central Local Government Area because it was canceled following the alleged kidnapping of electoral officials while they were on their way to conduct the ward delegates congress.

The nine aggrieved governorship aspirants had petitioned the appeal panel set up by the party concerning the composition of the party’s officials appointed to conduct the ward delegates congress in the state

The aggrieved governorship aspirants are Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Anselm Ojezua, Felix Akhabue, Martin Uhomoibhi, Hajia Hadizat Umoru, Omosede Igbinedion, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, and Arthur Esene.

In an interview, Aslem Ojezua, speaking for the aggrieved aspirants, explained that they boycotted the local government congress because it relied on the results of the ward congress

Ojezua noted that they had appealed to the appeal panel established by the national party leadership to address the injustice committed by the Congress Electoral Committee led by Enugu State’s Governor Peter Mbah.

He expressed that building upon a failed foundation would inevitably lead to flawed outcomes.

“We will follow the party machinery, and if they persist in what they are doing we will continue to remind them about the danger involved in that level of arrogance and recklessness.

“We will take whatever steps available to us but at the moment we have an internal dispute resolution mechanism of the party. We are taking advantage of that, even though the party has not responded, but we will do our bit.

“If at the end the party didn’t listen to us, we will take any option available to us. It is when we exhaust all this that we can take legal action to protect our rights,” he said

He urged their supporters and party members to stay calm, assuring them that in due time, they would discern who to hold accountable for the party’s setbacks in Edo State.

Kanyi Daily recalls that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Screening Committee for Edo State had granted clearance to all ten aspirants who appeared before it on Monday.