Zamfara State governor and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Primary Electoral Committee in Edo State, Dauda Lawal, has declared Asue Ighodalo winner of the primary election.
Ighodalo emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for the upcoming September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State in a poll held at the Lawn Tennis Court of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the state capital, on Thursday.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Zamfara State governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said that the Edo State PDP primary election exercise went smoothly, and a candidate was duly elected for the upcoming governorship election in September.
Earlier, in his remarks before the exercise, Governor Lawal urged all aspirants to have faith in the process, emphasising that the election would be free and fair.
“As you all can see, the process is free. We want to conduct a credible election to provide a candidate for our great party in Edo State,” he stated.
After voting, sorting, and counting, Governor Lawal, as the returning officer for the primary election, declared Ighodalo as the winner of the primary election.
Declaring the winner, Governor Lawal said Ighodalo secured 577 votes to defeat the other nine aspirants.
“As the PDP Primary Electoral Committee chairman, I hereby declare Asuelimen Ighodalo, the winner of today’s primary election with 577 votes.
“I congratulate the winner and urge other aspirants to accept the results with good faith. We must come together to face the next challenge, the governorship election.
“We must prioritise the interests of the party above all. As we have a candidate, we must offer our full support,” the Zamfara State governor charged the PDP faithful.
LEADERSHIP reports that a parallel exercise which was held earlier in another location in Benin City produced the State’s deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, as the PDP governorship candidate.