Edo PDP Applauds Peaceful Conduct of Ward Delegates’ Congress, Hails NWC, Others

•Condemns abduction of officials in Etsako Central, cancels results

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the National Working Committee (NWC) and other stakeholders for the peaceful and credible conduct of the ward delegates’ election to elect three ad-hoc delegates across the 18 Local Government Areas and 192 wards of the state.

In a statement, the State Organising Secretary, Edo PDP, Mr. Anthony Anenih, said the exercise was mostly peaceful across the state with only one incident at Jattu, where he said eight of the officials heading to Etsako Central for the election were abducted.

The state organising secretary, while condemning the abduction of the officials, called on the Inspector General of Police to order a swift investigation of the incident and promptly ensure the release of the affected officials, whose families are troubled by the fate of their loved ones.

 “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward delegates election to elect the three ad-hoc delegates have been concluded across the 18 Local Government Areas and 192 wards in Edo State.

“The electoral officers who concluded the elections have since returned with results from the election handed over to the electoral committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

“The process which was observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and various civil society groups was reported to be mostly peaceful across the state with only one incident at Jattu, the hometown of the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, where eight of the officials heading to Etsako Central Local Government Area for the election were abducted.”

“The party hereby calls on the Inspector General of Police  to order a swift investigation of the incident and promptly ensure the release of the affected officials, whose families are troubled by the fate of their loved ones,” he stated.

He expressed gratitude to leaders of the party, the NWC, the ward electoral committee, and all organs of the party for their keen supervision of the process that resulted in a successful ward elections.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of PDP, Anthony Aziegbemi, on Monday, explained that the State’s three-man Ad-hoc Ward Delegate Electoral Committee led by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah cancelled results from Etsako Central Local Government Area because election did not hold in the LGA as nine electoral officers were kidnapped at Jattu.

Aziegbemi disclosed this while briefing journalists in Benin City, on the success of the election that was held yesterday across the State, which he described as the best ever conducted in Nigeria since 1999.

He said: “The Congresses went on well. It was peaceful, fair and credible but with one incident that led to the Committee cancelling the exercise from Etsako Central.

“The nine electoral officers were kidnapped around Jattu on their way to Etsako Central Local Government Area of the Edo State on the morning of the exercise. As at the time we were closing the Congress yesterday, the whereabouts of these men were not known.

“The Commissioner of Police was immediately called upon to investigate the issue. As at the end of the exercise, the electoral officers were still not seen. So, the Committee took the decision to cancel results from Etsako Central as the result from that area will have no effect on the overall results in terms of the governorship primary on the 22nd of February 2024.”

Noting that the outcome of the delegate election was peaceful, fair, and credible, the PDP chairman further noted that the electoral officers appointed by the electoral committee were all at their centres on time.

“The outcome of the Congress has shown that PDP in Edo State is the best organised in the country. This is so because the leader of the party and governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki is driving the party to achieve this.

“On behalf of the PDP family in Edo State, I congratulate the leader of the party in the State who has pushed us that much to be able to achieve such a credible, fair, and peaceful congress in the history of PDP in Nigeria,” he added.

On aggrieved members, Aziegbemi noted: “They have a right to their views but I disagree with their position as the Congress was very peaceful, credible, and fair. I urge them to approach the appeal panel which was set up to address the grievance of aspirants and headed by Senator Seriake Dickson, former Governor of Bayelsa State.”