If things go according to plan, another primary election to determine the flag bearer for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 2016 governorship election will hold on Wednesday June 29.
This is according to the chairman of the state committee put in place by the faction loyal to the embattled leader of the opposition party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’, Mr Ebenezer Alabi.
Addressing journalists in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Mr Alabi said the leadership of the party under Senator Sheriff invoked section 31, sub section two of the party’s constitution to appoint a seven-man committee to conduct a fresh primary election in Edo State.
The decision to have another primary election after one earlier one organised by the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP that produced Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu as flag bearer further showed deepened crisis in the party trying to regroup after it lost power in the centre to the All Progressives Congress.
Senator Ali-Modu Sherrif’s faction had issued nomination forms to persons willing to contest in another governorship primary election in Edo State.
A lawmaker representing Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency in Edo State, Honourable Ehiozuwa Johnson-Agbonayinma, told reporters that he had picked the nomination form for an election to be organised by the Sherrif’s faction.
Honourable Agbonayinma purchased the form in Abuja.
He later addressed reporters in Benin City on Saturday, stressing that, as a lawmaker he was convinced that the only legally recognised PDP in Nigeria was that headed by Senator Sheriff.
Senator Sheriff had on Thursday set up another committee to conduct primaries for three PDP governorship candidates in Edo State, who have bought forms from his faction.
