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PDP Governorship Primary: Aspirants Step Down For Obaseki

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Aspirants under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State have formally all stepped down for the incumbent governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki.

Barrister Kenneth Imasuagbon, Engineer Gideon Ikhine, and Engineer Ogbeide Ihama had all showed interest to contest the governorship election under the platform of the PDP before Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki joined them after he was disqualified by the state governorship Screening Committee of the APC.

Though the aspirants publicly declared that they were stepping down for Obaseki while making their speeches when they were called upon to speak, the PDP Primary Committee led by Balla Mohammed of Bauchi State still went ahead to conduct the primary which kick started around 6:00pm.

READ ALSO: Edo Guber: Court Authenticates Ize-Iyamu’s APC Membership

In his speech, Barrister Kenneth Imasuagbon said he decided to step down for the unity of the party, just as he said the visions and missions of Obaseki are inline with his.

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He noted that his stepping down for Obaseki was occasioned by the governor’s boldness to fight godfatherism, which according to him he too stands against.

“Today, I decided to step down for Obaseki for the unity and progress of our party. I decided to step down because our governor was able to fight godfatherism, and we don’t want it anymore in Edo State and Nigeria in general. I am stepping down for Obaseki because his visions and missions are inline with mine. He is a hard working governor and I want the good work to continue”, Imasuagbon said.

READ ALSO: 15 Political Parties To Participate In Edo Guber Election, Says REC

On his part, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama stated that he decided to step down for the progress of the party and that the party has been out of power for good 12 years, so it worth it stepping down for a person who returned the party to power.

He thanked Obaseki for returning the party to power after 12 years of absent in government house, Edo State.

In his speech, Engineer Ikhine said he stepped down for Obaseki because he believes in the governor for his good works.

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READ ALSO: BREAKING: APC Crisis: Buhari Backs Giadom

Recall Ikhine in a press conference few days ago had declared that he was stepping down for Mr. Governor and consequently collapsed his structure across the state to that of Godwin Obaseki.

Earlier, Chairman, Edo State Governorship Primary Committee, Senator Balla Mohammed of Bauchi State said all the contestants are people of good repute going by their political pedigrees.

He stated that the party had learned from their past mistakes and ready to do the right thing, just as he described the PDP as a tested and trusted party.

He said the party is well structured and has internal democracy unlike other party wherein such is noted respected.

READ ALSO: Obaseki’s Reign In APC Was Hell, ‘We ‘ll Never Pray For Such’, Says Party Chieftain

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” We are tested and trusted party. The PDP is where you enjoy internal democracy, just as you will see very soon. We may have internal rancour but I want to tell you that we resolve such amicably within ourselves without it escalating. We have learnt our lessons, so, we can’t afford to dwell in such rancor”, Balla declared

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I Was Tied For Three Days, Abducted Lagos Editor Recounts Ordeal

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The abducted Editor of FirstNews Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, on Thursday, recounted his ordeal at the hands of the military personnel who abducted him from his Lagos home.

Military authorities had earlier on Thursday, yielded to pressure and released Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos State on Friday, March 15, 2024.

The PUNCH confirmed that he was released to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja after sustained pressure from the media.

They were asked to guarantee that they would make Olatunji available if needed again.

The International Press Institute, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Olatunji’s employers had in separate statements faulted his incarceration, asking authorities to either release the editor or charge him to court.

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READ ALSO: INEC Disowns LP’s National Convention

Narrating his ordeal after his release at a press briefing organised by the leaderships of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and IPI in Abuja, Olatunji said he was blindfolded and flown to the Federal Capital Territory where he was moved to a cell in handcuffs and leg chains for almost three days.

He said, “Someone came claiming to be from the military. He identified himself as Colonel Lawal. Immediately, he seized my phones.

“I went to the room to dress up. By the time I got downstairs, I saw soldiers inside the compound taking positions. Outside the gate, I saw about three vehicles with Air Force personnel, Army, Defence Intelligence Agency, and others all fully armed.

READ ALSO:Israel Bombs Gaza, Fights Hamas Around Hospitals

“I was handcuffed and taken straight to the office of the National Air Defence Corps where we waited for three hours. I did not know that they were waiting for an aircraft to pick me up to Abuja.

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“When the aircraft landed, I was blindfolded and moved to the aircraft, and we landed in Abuja shortly. I was leg cuffed also. They removed my clothes and I was left with my boxers. I was taken to Cell 9.

“There, I was left with leg and handcuffs. And at a point, one of the officers came and tightened the right leg and the right hand, and I was there groaning in pain. They did not loosen it until about two or three days after.

“Up till now, I could still feel the pains in my hands and legs.”

READ ALSO: Man Stabs Four To Death In US

Olatunji said those behind his ordeal were close to the government based on the questions he was asked.

He added, “They were asking me questions about certain stories that FirstNews had published.

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“They first told me that I was one of those abusing the Chief of Defence Intelligence (Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye). They did not say much about that.”

He said they also asked him about a story FirstNews had published about the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu (Mr Femi Gbajabiamila), which he described as a “major thing”.

“That is why I told some people earlier that those behind my arrest are people in the corridors of power who are not happy with FirstNews is doing and are bent on taking their own pound of flesh,” he added.

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JUST IN: Secondus, Sekibo, Others Declare Support For Tinubu, Fubara

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A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus; and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State have declared loyalty and support for President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

A former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, made the declaration during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Nigerian Lady Set To Drive From London To Lagos

Present at the briefing were Secondus; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor of the state, Tele Ikuru; Senator Lee Maeba; and former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson. among others.

The council supported the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, in the last elections.

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Details later…

 

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INEC To Publish Edo Gov Candidates’ Credentials Saturday

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Ahead of the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has said it would publish the particulars of 17 governorship candidates and their running mates on March 30, 2024.

The personal particulars of the candidates would be published by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Okuama Killings: Army Declares Eight Persons Wanted [FULL LIST]

Olumekun said, “Following the conclusion of party primaries, 17 political parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Edo State Governorship Election by the deadline of 6 pm on 24th March 2024 when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.

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“The personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates will be published on Saturday 30th March 2024, a week from the last date for the submission of nominations as provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The commission shall publish the personal particulars by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.”

READ ALSO: Man Slumps, Dies During Fight In Kwara

The commission appealed to Nigerians to scrutinise the document (particulars of the candidates) when published.

“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022,” the National Commissioner said.

The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had last week expressed the frustration of the electoral body over the rancorous primary elections in various political parties ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

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Yakubu, who spoke in Abuja at the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties, said INEC found the infighting within political parties disruptive of its activities, adding that INEC also wastes funds to defend litigation arising from controversial primaries.

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