Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, has emerged as the winner of a factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election. The primary was held for the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
Shaibu was declared the party’s candidate after receiving 301 votes out of the total 559 votes cast at the primary, according to Honourable Moses Bartholomew, the Returning Officer.
The primary was not without controversy, as personnel of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN) reportedly stormed the venue shortly after the voting process.
Armed personnel blocked the entrance, preventing delegates and journalists from leaving the premises.
Prior to the parallel primary, some delegates had protested, claiming they were barred from participating in the accreditation and voting process by officials believed to be acting on behalf of the state government at the Edo Hotel, the accreditation venue.
In response to the protesters’ appeal, Shaibu assured them that their votes would count in the primaries.
He promised to pass their message to the PDP National Headquarters and emphasized that their support indicated his victory in both the primaries and the main election in September.
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