Principal Officers Absent As Edo Deputy Gov, Shaibu, Storms PDP National Secretariat, Demands for Certificate of Return

By Ayodele Oni

A day after winner of the Edo State Governorship Primary Election was presented with certificate of return, the State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu on Wednesday stormed the national secretariat of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) to demand for his certificate of return.

He had earlier declared himself winner of a parallel primary election of the PDP held last week in Benin.

Shaibu did not meet any of the officers of the party on seat on arrival.

He told journalists: “Today is 28th of February, 2024 ,by the PDP guidelines approved by the NWC on the Edo 2024 governorship primary, today is the day set aside by the electoral guidelines to be the day that the certificate of returns will be issued.

“So , it is not surprising that I am here today. I am here to receive my certificate of return because I won the primary in Edo PDP primary conducted .

“And the authentic delegates voted for me. If you look at the wall of the party office here, you will see the names of all the delegates that voted for me. Today is presentation of Certificate of Return according to the party. So , PDP must follow its rules and guidelines, this is what we are talking about.

“The process of producing a candidate has been compromised from the onset and we ask that those things be corrected. Even the committee recommended political solution.

“They are fully aware that there were abnormalities in the process that led to my emergence and whoever. But why I am here is to obey the guidelines to come and receive the certificate of return and I was told that somebody else came here yesterday and was given the certificate.

“I think the court will tell among us who is the real candidate.  But I am here to fulfil the electoral guidelines of the PDP to receive my certificate.

“I have a document here where those that conducted the primary submitted to the office of the National Organising Secretary, from this document you will see the mess that took place in Edo state.

“This primary cannot be put aside. I am ready for us to correct the abnormalities in internal party democracy, because that is the beginning of he sustainance of Democracy. If the party does not get it right, the foundation of our democracy is being threatened and we will not fold our hands to watch what we laboured for, fought for, some people died in the process.

“Those that conducted the primaries and write this report are being threatened, they tried to procure them and many of them refused, now they are being threatened to write another report.

“This is a committee that was put together by the NWC. If the PDP is serious, ready to win Edo state, they must do what is right and I am telling our members in Edo, not to be worried, we will get to the promise land. Edo will be the place where we will reset how internal democracy can be strengthened so that the foundation of democracy is not destroyed.

“I told them that I was coming, but none of them has come to work, only the staff of the secretariat are here, I don’t know why they are not here that is strange and that is in line with why will they be in a hurry to give certificate yesterday, when today was what was approved for the certificate to be given to the winner. I must be on the side of the people, straightening the foundation of our democracy which is party politics.