INEC Recognizes Makarfi-led PDP Leadership

 Party submits Ize-Iyamu as Edo guber candidate

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally given recognition to the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party represented by the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

The decison by the commission became apparent following its acceptance of Pastor Ize-Iyamu as the duly elected Edo governorship candidate of the PDP.

This may have temporarily put paid to the raging controversy over which of the two contending factions, led by Senator Makarfi and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff can field candidates for elections.

While confirming the receipt of submissions from the Makarfi-led PDP leadership, on Tuesday evening in a text message to THISDAY, the Deputy Director, Publicity and Voter Education of the commission, Mr Nick Dazang, said that the commission has received names of 19 governorship candidates from 19 political parties, including the candidate of the PDP, Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

“As at this evening, we received 19 candidates from 19 political parties for the Edo state governorship election. This includes the candidate of the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP. We received the candidate of the Makarfi-led faction because of the Port Harcourt court judgement plus the fact that we monitored its primaries,” he said.

A prominent source within the ranks of the Sheriff faction who did not want his name mentioned confirmed to THISDAY that they have suffered a setback and that INEC has opted to recognize Ize-Iyamu as the PDP governorship candidate.

Spokesman of the PDP caretaker committee, Dayo Adeyeye, had told journalists that the party had submitted the name of Iyamu as PDP candidate to the INEC for the Edo governorship election.

Also, the Secretary of the committee, Senator Ben Obi, confirmed to THISDAY that the name of the party’s candidate for the Edo state gubernatorial contest, Ize-Iyamu, was submitted on Tuesday by the Markarfi-led leadership of the party.

Further details later