Afrigather Forward of the September 21 Edo State governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Social gathering has cleared its 10 aspirants to take part within the get together’s main election scheduled for February 22.
One of many 10 aspirants will emerge because the get together’s candidate or flag bearer for the primary election on September 21.
In the meantime, the All Progressives Congress has raked in N650m from the sale of Nomination and Expression of Curiosity types to 13 aspirants.
The PUNCH learnt that each one efforts by the APC to cut back its governorship aspirants to 6 failed as 13 individuals finally purchased the types.
On Monday, the PDP Screening Committee, headed by the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, screened the ten PDP aspirants on the get together’s nationwide headquarters, popularly referred to as Wadata Plaza in Abuja.
Mutfwang, after the screening, reassured the aspirants that the get together would guarantee equity for all contestants and emphasised the PDP’s dedication to successful the Edo governorship ballot.
On Tuesday, the PDP Nationwide Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, disclosed to journalists that the screening committee okayed all the ten aspirants to slug it out within the February 22 main.
Bature, shortly after presenting the Provisional Clearance Certificates to the aspirants, said, “All 10 aspirants had been cleared to contest.”
The PDP aspirants are the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; a former Chairman of Sterling Financial institution, Asue Ighodalo; and Blessing Igbinedion, daughter of Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.
Different aspirants are Anselm Ojezua, Felix Akhabue, Martin Uhomoibhi, Umoru Hadizat, Osaro Onaiwu, Arthur Esene and Omoregie Ihama.
In the meantime, the APC has realised N650m from the sale of types which closed on Monday.
The APC Nomination Type was offered for N40m, whereas the Expression of Curiosity Type was N10m. Nevertheless, the get together made the Expression of Curiosity Type free for feminine aspirants and people with disabilities.
Based on a schedule of actions for the Edo governorship election launched by the APC, the sale of Nomination and Expression of Curiosity and Delegates Types ended on 29 January.
The APC will elect its flag bearer for the governorship race at a main election to be held on February 17.
The APC had arrange a committee as an inner mechanism to display screen and prune down the 29 aspirants who initially confirmed curiosity to a manageable degree to make sure a rancour-free main election.
Consequently, the committee pruned the variety of aspirants from 29 to 10, and subsequently to 6, with two aspirants from every of the three senatorial districts. It additional pruned the listing to 4 with two every from Edo Central and Edo South senatorial districts, screening out these from Edo North senatorial district.
However many of the aspirants rejected the choice and relatively went forward to buy the types.
Checks on Monday by our correspondent revealed that, as of press time, 13 aspirants had bought the types at N50m every on the APC nationwide headquarters, 40 Blantyre Road, Wuse, Abuja.
The aspirants who’ve bought the types are a former Minister of State for Finances and Nationwide Planning, Clem Agba; a two-term governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu; a former Edo State Governor, Oserheimen Osunbor and ex-Chairman of the APC Edo State, Dr. David Imuse.
Others are Emmanuel Momoh, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Dennis Idahosa,
Fortunate Imasuen, Blessing Agbomore, Hon. Anamero Dekeri, Gideon Ikhine, Col. David Onabure Imuse and Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd.).
The APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, assured aspirants of equity and a degree enjoying area.
Ibrahim, in an unique interview with our correspondent, said “Our aspirants and stakeholders in Edo ought to count on equity and nothing however equity; there may be going to be a degree enjoying area for all as a result of our ambition is to recapture Edo State.
“So the get together goes to display screen all those that have purchased the types and indicated curiosity. And they will be given a degree enjoying area in order that they convey of their greatest with a view to geting the folks of Edo to purchase in. So, they need to count on equity and we hope in return, they will even be honest.”
Relating to the unsuccessful pruning effort, the APC Director of Publicity said that the aspirants would bear screening, and solely these assembly the required standards can be eligible to vie for the get together’s ticket.
“Effectively, shopping for type is only one out of the various phases of going into the election. One is to point curiosity by the use of shopping for type. There are different phases that may observe the place those that point out curiosity might be screened. The get together isn’t just wanting on the buy of type as the one situation for contesting the election. No. There are specific issues that must be met to ensure that the intendant contenders to be eligible for the election. So different phases might be set out,” he said.
