Parallel primaries were, yesterday, held by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State to elect candidates for the House of Assembly and the House of Representatives.
The parallel primaries were held by the factions loyal to Dan Orbih, national vice chairman, South South and Governor Godwin Obaseki simultaneously, at different locations across the state.
At the faction loyal to the governor, only those who defected with him from the All Progressives Congress had continued to emerge as winners. Similarly, at the other faction, only old PDP members emerged winners. Officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the primary by the faction loyal to the national vice chairman, but same could not be said about the faction loyal to the governor.
A chieftain of the party explained that the primaries were not parallel.
According to the chieftain, the party primaries can only be done by the list certified by INEC for the purpose.
“You cannot build something on nothing. Elections were held to elect three ad hoc delegates. It is only those three delegates that can participate in this election.
“You cannot write names of people in Government House to now want to use them to conduct election,” the chieftain said.
But Adaze Ewanta, commissioner for information, dismissed reports of parallel primaries. He described the exercise as free and fair.
Meanwhile, former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto, has emerged candidate for the Akoko Edo federal constituency to contest the House of Representatives.
He defeated two other contestants, Ema Agbaje and Bakonle Balogun.
Chairman of the Primary Election Committee appointed by the PDP National Working Committee, Endurance Edughu, said Adjoto scored 28 votes while Agbaje and Balogun got one vote each.
In the same development, Yekini Idiaye, member of the House of Assembly emerged as candidate for the Akoko Edo Constituency 1.
Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Odion Omokhoidu, said 15 delegates participated in the primary with three ad hoc delegates drawn from each ward.
Also, results have begun to trickle from the governor’s faction. Some of the candidates included Jimoh Ijegbai, House of Representatives, Owan Federal constituency, Blessing Agbebaku, Owan West, Edo House of Assembly.
Others are Uyi Omosigho, Oredo East, constituency; Kaycee Osamwonyi, Uhunmwode constituency; Natasha Osawaru, Egor constituency; Sunny Aguebor, Oredo constituency, and Aminu Okodo-Kadidi, Owan East constituency of the state Assembly.
