After the party’s candidate for the seat, Victoria Edelokun, withdrew her candidacy, a five-man committee from the party’s headquarters is in Edo State to hold an emergency primary election for the Edo North Senatorial District.
Sir Daniel Obiora, the committee’s chairman, told journalists at the Edo State PDP secretariat in Benin City that the committee is in the state to hold a free, fair, and credible emergency primary election after Victoria Edelokun, the party’s candidate in the May 23, 2022 election, withdrew.
“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.”
Following the resignation of Victoria Edelokun, the Edo State PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, claimed the senatorial race for Edo North, which was held on May 23, 2022, became inconclusive.
“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.”
“The national headquarters have received the withdrawal letter; they have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alert them, and they have agreed that we will conduct this primary today, June 4th, 2022,” he continued. The panel is prepared to work diligently with the party’s constitutions and standards on the internet.
“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.”