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Ahead of the September 21 Edo State governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party has cleared its 10 aspirants to participate in the party’s primary election scheduled for February 22.
One of the 10 aspirants will emerge as the party’s candidate or flag bearer for the main election on September 21.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress has raked in N650m from the sale of Nomination and Expression of Interest forms to 13 aspirants.
The PUNCH learnt that all efforts by the APC to reduce its governorship aspirants to six failed as 13 persons eventually bought the forms.
On Monday, the PDP Screening Committee, headed by the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, screened the 10 PDP aspirants at the party’s national headquarters, popularly called Wadata Plaza in Abuja.
Mutfwang, after the screening, reassured the aspirants that the party would ensure fairness for all contestants and emphasised the PDP’s commitment to winning the Edo governorship poll.
On Tuesday, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, disclosed to journalists that the screening committee okayed all the 10 aspirants to slug it out in the February 22 primary.
Bature, shortly after presenting the Provisional Clearance Certificate to the aspirants, stated, “All 10 aspirants were cleared to contest.”
The PDP aspirants are the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; a former Chairman of Sterling Bank, Asue Ighodalo; and Blessing Igbinedion, daughter of Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.
Other aspirants are Anselm Ojezua, Felix Akhabue, Martin Uhomoibhi, Umoru Hadizat, Osaro Onaiwu, Arthur Esene and Omoregie Ihama.
Meanwhile, the APC has realised N650m from the sale of forms which closed on Monday.
The APC Nomination Form was sold for N40m, while the Expression of Interest Form was N10m. However, the party made the Expression of Interest Form free for female aspirants and those with disabilities.
According to a schedule of activities for the Edo governorship election released by the APC, the sale of Nomination and Expression of Interest and Delegates Forms ended on 29 January.
The APC had set up a committee as an internal mechanism to screen and prune down the 29 aspirants who initially showed interest to a manageable level to ensure a rancour-free primary election.
Consequently, the committee pruned the number of aspirants from 29 to 10, and subsequently to six, with two aspirants from each of the three senatorial districts. It further pruned the list to four with two each from Edo Central and Edo South senatorial districts, screening out those from Edo North senatorial district.
But most of the aspirants rejected the decision and rather went ahead to purchase the forms.
Checks on Monday by our correspondent revealed that, as of press time, 13 aspirants had purchased the forms at N50m each at the APC national headquarters, 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja.
The aspirants who have purchased the forms are a former Minister of State for Budget and National 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,
Lucky 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 fairness and a level playing field.
Ibrahim, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, stated “Our aspirants and stakeholders in Edo should expect fairness and nothing but fairness; there is going to be a level playing field for all because our ambition is to recapture Edo State.
“So the party is going to screen all those who have bought the forms and indicated interest. And they are going to be given a level playing field so that they bring in their best with a view to geting the people of Edo to buy in. So, they should expect fairness and we hope in return, they will also be fair.”
Regarding the unsuccessful pruning effort, the APC Director of Publicity stated that the aspirants would undergo screening, and only those meeting the necessary criteria would be eligible to vie for the party’s ticket.
“Well, buying form is just one out of the many stages of going into the election. One is to indicate interest by way of buying form. There are other stages that will follow where those who indicate interest will be screened. The party is not just looking at the purchase of form as the only condition for contesting the election. No. There are certain things that have to be met in order for the intendant contenders to be eligible for the election. So other stages will be set out,” he stated.