The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thursday announced a three-day delay in its primary in Edo State, apparently to pave the way for the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to pursue his re-election bid on its platform.
The PDP, which has held a series of meetings with Obaseki since his disqualification from the race for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket last week, and subsequent resignation from the party on Tuesday, shifted its primary to June 23. It was initially billed to hold between tomorrow and Sunday.
Obaseki will now join three other aspirants to vie for the PDP’s governorship ticket for the September 22 election in the state.
THISDAY learnt that Obaseki would formally defect to the PDP at a ceremony billed for Benin City today.
However, THISDAY gathered yesterday that based on the understanding reached with Obaseki to allow him compete for the PDP’s ticket with the three other aspirants that were earlier cleared for the race, the party has written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), notifying the commission of its intention to shift the primary.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, confirmed the shift of the party’s primary via his Twitter handle.
He tweeted: “@OfficialPDPNig has postponed its primary election in Edo State to Tuesday, June 23, 2020.”
But THISDAY gathered that the postponement of the gubernatorial primary was to enable the party to finalise negotiations with Obaseki and accommodate him in the election.
A source close to the party said the shift in the date of the primary election was to give Obaseki and his deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu, a soft landing so as to participate in the party’s screening and primary election.
The source added that the PDP will give Obaseki and Shaibu a waiver to enable them to contest the governorship primary on the new date.
The source said if things go as planned, Obaseki would be affirmed by the delegates on June 23.
However, the source added that if the other aspirants, Gideon Ikhine, Kenneth Immasuagbon and Omoregie Ihama, insists, they would be allowed to contest.
The source explained that the new date for the governorship primary falls within the June 2 and June 27 deadline given by INEC for all parties to conduct their primaries.
PDP, in a statement, elaborated more on the shift in the date for the primary.
It said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed the Edo State governorship primary election earlier scheduled for Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, 2020 to a new date of Tuesday, June 23, 2020.
“This decision is predicated on exigencies of party activities.
“All governorship aspirants, critical stakeholders, party faithful and our teeming supporters, particularly in Edo state, are to take note accordingly,” the statement, signed by Ologbondiyan said.
Ologbondiyan also told THISDAY that the PDP NWC was waiting for Obaseki to formally join the party by registering his membership at his Ward 4 in the Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State.
Also, the Chairman of PDP in Edo State, Hon. Tony Aziegbemi, told THISDAY that Obaseki was being awaited in Benin from his trip to Abuja to register as a member of the PDP.
The South-south National Vice Chairman of the PDP, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, also confirmed thursday in Benin City, that Obaseki will formally join the party today. (Thisday)
