Edo Guber: PDP Unsettled Over Candidate As INEC Deadline Ends Today

As the deadline for submission of candidates for the Edo State governorship election ends today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday disclosed that it was yet to be provided with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

INEC’s deputy director, Voter Education and Publicity, Nick Dazang, who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP, added that the commission was yet to take a decision on which of the candidates from the factions it would accept.

He further stated that, so far, only six political parties had submitted names of their candidates for the election.

However, deputy national chairman of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, Cairo Ojuogboh, told LEADERSHIP that the faction had submitted the name of Matthew Iduoriyekemwen to INEC, adding that the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja gave them the authority to do so.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Iduoriyekemwen had emerged candidates from separate primaries conducted by the warring camps in the party. While Ize-Iyamu emerged the candidate from the primaries held by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee, Iduoriyekemwen emerged candidate of the Sheriff-led leadership of the party.

Also, while a July 4 Federal High Court judgement in Port Harcourt recognised Makarfi’s committee as the legitimate leadership of the party, a Federal High Court in Abuja, however, granted an ex parte motion to Sheriff, which mandated INEC to recognise only candidates submitted by Sheriff for the Edo and Ondo guber elections.

But responding to an inquiry from LEADERSHIP ahead of the deadline, Mr. Dazang, who was in Lagos yesterday, said the commission was yet to take a decision on which of the candidates to recognise.

He said: “As at 4:52pm, I sent an inquiry to our director in charge of political party monitoring and I was told that only six political parties have submitted their candidates, and PDP is not among them. But the deadline is tomorrow and they are free to do so.”

When asked which of the camps’ candidates the commission would accept, he said, “As at this time, INEC has not taken a decision. If there is any development I will call you back.”

On whether the name of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Obaseki, had been submitted, the deputy director said he could not confirm as he was yet to get the names of the six political parties that had submitted candidates.

He, however, promised to make the list available immediately it is given to him.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Sheriff’s primary did not meet the 21-day notice to INEC, a requirement specified in the Electoral Act, unlike the Makarfi-organised primary which was monitored by INEC.

Reacting, however, Ojuogboh told LEADERSHIP that the faction had completed the processes for the submission of its candidate’s name. He said it was understandable that the deputy director was not aware because the submission of candidates was not done in his department.

“In any case we have no fear that our candidate will be accepted as the legitimate candidate of PDP for the election. The court ruled that Sheriff is the only person that can submit candidates for the Edo and Ondo guber elections.

“That judgement was specific and no court of competent jurisdiction can overrule it. The court has recognised Sheriff as the national chairman; the truth is the truth and nobody can change it,” he said.

It was, however, gathered that members of the PDP national caretaker committee were locked in a meeting yesterday over the issue.

Attempts to get the Makarfi group for reaction were futile as phone calls to the spokesman of the committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, rang out and were not returned.