Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appeal panels, on Thursday, commenced sittings to address grievances arising from the primary elections to select candidates to fly the party’s flag at the forthcoming State House Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial elections in Edo State.
The Chairman of Edo PDP National Assembly Congress Electoral Appeal Panel, Mr. Nduka Ekpu, while addressing journalists at the Edo PDP Secretariat, in Benin City, urged aggrieved aspirants to approach the committee with their petitions and grievances.
Ekpu, along with other members of the committee, was at the party secretariat in the early hours of Thursday to consider appeals arising from the conduct of the National Assembly primary election in the state.
He said, “We have been here sitting all day and we have not actually received any petitions from any aspirants. We have heard from the party chairman, M. Tony Aziegbemi and the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Esq., and are still here waiting.
“If at the end of today we are not able to receive any petitions, we will have to return to give our report to the PDP National.”
On his part, Chairman of the Edo State PDP House of Assembly Congress Electoral Appeal Panel, Barr. Victor Ebonka noted, “We arrived yesterday on the 25th of May, and today being the 26th of May, we are currently sitting at the Edo PDP Secretariat awaiting petitions from aspirants. So far, we have not received any petition; I hope that before today runs out, we will receive any and deal with it equitably.”
“We also want to use this opportunity to thank the state working committee of our party for the conducive environment for us to operate,” he added.
In his contribution, the state chairman of PDP, Tony Aziegbemi said the National Working Committee constituted the appeal panels for the Edo State House of Assembly and the National Assembly primaries.
He said, “We normally may not do everything right, so when we make mistakes, the appeal panel is where you can go and point out some of the mistakes you must have noticed during the process.
“So, I call on members and aspirants that took part in the process of House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial primaries to avail themselves of this unique opportunity to put forward whatever the issues they must have noticed so that the appeal panel members can look at it and deal with it precisely.”
