Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu has stormed the Peoples Democratic Party’s national headquarters in Abuja, demanding the party’s certificate of return for the governorship election.
Recall that Shaibu was declared the winner of a parallel PDP governorship candidate for the state while Asue Ighodalo won the main election.
However, the PDP presented a certificate of return to Asue, when Shaibu was at the party’s secretariat on Wednesday to ask for the same credentia.
He insisted that he won the primary election and should be formally recognised as such.
Shaibu said: “Today is the day set aside for the collection of certificate of return for the winner of the primary. I understand someone came yesterday and was given, well, the court will decide.
“So, it is not surprising that I am here today. I am here to receive my certificate of return because I won the primary in Edo and the authentic delegates voted.
“If you look at the halls of the party office here, you will see the names of all the delegates that voted for me. Today is the presentation of the Certificate of Return, according to the party. So, PDP must follow its rules and guidelines; this is what we are talking about.
“The process of producing a candidate has been compromised from the onset, and we ask that those things be corrected. Even the committee that recommended a political solution is fully aware that there were abnormalities in the process that led to my emergence, and whoever.
READ MORE: Edo 2024: Ighodalo Receives PDP’s Certificate Of Return
“But the reason I am here is to obey the guidelines to come and receive the certificate of return, and I was told that somebody else came here yesterday and was given the certificate.
“Those who conducted the primaries and wrote this report are being threatened. They tried to procure them, and many of them refused. Now they are being threatened to write another report.
“This is a committee that was put together by the NWC. If the PDP is serious and ready to win Edo State, they must do what is right. And I am telling our members in Edo not to be worried; we will get to the promised land. Edo will be the place where we will reset how internal democracy can be strengthened so that the foundation of democracy is not destroyed.
“I told them that I was coming, but none of them have come to work. Only the staff of the secretariat are here. I don’t know why they are not here. That is strange, and that is in line with why they will be in a hurry to give the certificate yesterday when today was what was approved for the certificate to be given to the winner.
