The crisis rocking the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party resurfaced during the Senatorial primaries in the state,
The crisis claimed the life of the Chairman, Oredo Ward 5, in Oredo Local Government Area of the State, Mr. Tunde Igbinoba.
He was allegedly shot dead by yet-to-be identified gunmen who stormed the venue of Edo South PDP Senatorial parallel primary election for 2023 organised on Monday in Benin City.
The assailants destroyed vehicles and other valuable assets belonging to delegates and residents of the area amidst gunshots.
Meanwhile the teofactions of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday held parallel Senatorial primaries at different locations in the state.
The two factions are the Governor Godwin Obaseki faction and that of the National Zonal Vice Chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih.
The Dan Orbih faction organized its primary election at an event centre by the Airport gate while the faction loyal to Obaseki had its primary at Ogbemudia’s stadium.
Curiously, the state combined state security outfit and Police arrested the News Agency of Nigeria , NAN Correspondent, Deborah Coker, African Independent Television, Reporter, Sunny Ohioze Inarumen, and Independent Television and Radio Correspondent, Ogbomo Osamuyi for covering the Dan Orbih faction’s primary.
The Network gathered that the journalists were taken to Oko Police Division where they were held four hours.
It was learnt that the police released them after taking their statements.
The NAN correspondent Deborah Coker was quoted as having said that a combined team of Edo Security Network, men of the State Vigilante and Police arrested them for coveting and “illegal primary,”
“Even after we told them that we are journalists doing our constitution duty they insisted that we are providing coverage for an illegal primary that is why they took us to Oko Police station. “ She said
A former Majority leader of Edo state House of Assembly, Hon Mathew Iduriyekemwen was returned as the candidate of the Obaseki faction for Edo Central. He defeated the incumbent Senator Mathew Uroghide.
The Dan Orbih faction produced Hon Ogbeide Ihama as the candidate.
A former Minister of Works under ex- president Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Arch. Mike Onolememen, picked the PDP ticket for Edo Central Senatorial District under the Orbih faction.
The Obaseki faction produced the incumbent Senator, Hon Clifford Ordia, as its factional candidate.
In Edo North, the Obih’s faction produced Hon Pascal Ugbome, as candidate while Mrs Victoria Edelokun won the ticket of Obaseki’s
