The Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Edo North Senatorial District, Pascal Ugbome, has rejected a purported supplementary senatorial primary for the district.
Ugbome was returned as the winner of the Senatorial primaries conducted by the PDP on May 23, 2022.
The National Organizing Secretary, of the PDP, Umar Bature, had written the Edo State Chairman of the party, Tony Aziegbemi, to notify him of a repeat senatorial primary to be conducted by a five man committee led by Daniel Obiora.
The result of the primaries showed
Ugbome who won the first senatorial primary scoring 4 votes, to 181 votes of Senator Francis Alimikhena. A third contestant Tony Ezekiel had three votes in the primary held at Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area on Saturday.
In his reaction, Ugbome described the purported supplementary Senatorial election as a wicked and malicious rumour which should be discountenanced
Ugbome who described the purported election as strange and illegal said that it was not the decision of the leadership of the party to have a second Senatorial primary for the district.
He said, “My attention has been drawn to a concocted, wicked and malicious rumour making the rounds, that a purported Supplementary Senatorial Primary has been ordered, supposedly by one National Official of our Party, PDP, to hold today for the Edo North Senatorial District.
“To the best of my knowledge and leaders of our great party, this is a strange development and certainly not a decision of our Party even as its illegality smells to high heaven.
“Secondly, it has also been alleged in another breath that a certain Senator Alimikhena has paid me for the Ticket and that I have stepped down for him. That is A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL.
“I am a Lawyer and not a trader and I cannot trade away the Mandate which the honourable Edo North PDP Delegates gave to me on the 23rd of May, 2022.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the same Delegates who voted for me also voted Our Presidential Candidate at the national convention.
“Consequently, let me reassure our teaming Supporters that I remain the duly Nominated Edo North PDP Candidate and flagbearer of the PDP for the seat of Senator representing Edo North in the forthcoming general Election slated for 2023. I look forward to vigorously Campaign and deliver Victory to our Party at the 2023 Senatorial Election.”
