A five-man committee from the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in Edo State to conduct an emergency primary election for Edo North Senatorial District, after the candidate of the party for the position, Victoria Edelokun, withdrew her candidacy.
Chairman of the committee, Sir Daniel Obiora, who addressed journalists at the Edo State PDP secretariat, in Benin City, said the committee is in the state to conduct a free, fair and credible emergency primary election following the withdrawal of Victoria Edelokun who emerged as the candidate of the party in the May 23, 2022 election.
“We are here to conduct an emergency Senatorial primary election in Edo North Senatorial District for the purpose of nominating the candidate of our party for the upcoming Senatorial election come 2023.
“This exercise has become important because of the withdrawal of our candidate on 23rd May. Her withdrawal has rendered that exercise inconclusive hence the need for this exercise today 4th of June 2023.”
The Edo State PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, said the senatorial election for Edo North held on the 23rd of May 2022 became inconclusive following the withdrawal of Victoria Edelokun.
“You recall we had a senatorial election held in the three senatorial districts on the 23rd of May 2022. This panel sent from the national to conduct this emergency primary election in Edo North is premised on the party’s guideline which stipulates that where a candidate emerges and for whatever reasons withdraws his or her candidature, the party must conduct an emergency primary election to have a candidate fill the position for the general election.”
He further added, “The national headquarters are in receipt of the withdrawal letter; they wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to notify them and they have agreed that we conduct this primary today the 4th of June 2022. The panel is ready to do a diligent job online with the party’s constitutions and guidelines.
“I urge all delegates to participate in this exercise and elect the best to get Edo North District into the family of PDP as that is the only Senatorial District where PDP has not had a senator but this time around, things must be different as the Senatorial seat is a must-win for the PDP come 2023 General Election.”
