Politics
Shaibu, Ighodalo Emerge PDP Gov Candidates At Edo Parallel Primaries
Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki-backed Asue Ighodalo on Thursday emerged governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at parallel indirect primary elections at different venues in Benin, the state capital.
Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives, was declared winner by Moses Batholomew in his official residence on Commercial Avenue, near Government House in the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin with 301 of the 563 PDP’s authentic delegates’ votes in Edo.
Ighodalo, a Lagos-based lawyer, emerged the standard bearer at the shadow poll that took place at the Lawn Tennis Court of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
Shortly after Shaibu’s declaration as the governorship candidate of PDP in Edo, armed thugs, including members of Edo State vigilance service, were mobilised to the venue and started were shooting sporadically.
But Shaibu and his teeming supporters escaped while the hoodlums continued to shoot at their vehicles with many allies of Edo Deputy Governor injured.
Edo Deputy Governor, in an acceptance speech, dedicated his victory to God Almighty, his teeming supporters, and the good people of the South south State.
As of the time of Shaibu’s declaration, the loyalists of Obaseki were about voting at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for Ighodalo while the consensus aspirant of Chief Dan Orbih-led Legacy Coalition in PDP, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a former member of the House of Representatives, decided to withdraw from the skewed race.
When contacted, mobile lines of Shaibu’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebomhiana Musa were not available while the text and WhatsApp messages had not been replied as of press time
Ighodalo polled 577 votes to beat Anselm Ojezua, Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue, who all scored zero while and one vote was given to Shaibu with six votes declared void out of the 585 accredited delegates.
One of the governorship aspirants, Omosede Igbinedion, the daughter of the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Sir Gabriel Igbimedion, withdrew from the race at the stadium.
The Chief Returning Officer of the Edo PDP governorship primary election committee, Dauda Lawal, who is the Governor of Zamfara State, noted that members of the committee, having carefully sorted and counted the votes, found that Ighodalo scored 577 votes.
Lawal was assisted by Delta Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator James Manager, who were the Vice Chairman and Secretary of the committee respectively.
Ighodalo, in his acceptance speech, thanked Edo Governor and the entire people of the State for their love and support.
He said: “I want to thank you for making me a tool, and I promise you that I will be a useful tool, and by the grace of God, Edo State will move from where Obaseki has carried us, to the next level.
“I want to thank Obaseki for the wonderful work he has done in the last seven and a half years. I know that in a year or two, people will keep talking about Obaseki. We have not seen the value of the work he has done, but he is like a builder laying the foundation for a hundred story building.
“No man is perfect. We will all continue to repair and work on one another’s mistakes.”
Ighodalo also promised to put in his best in the service of Edo State and its residents if elected on September 21.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
The Assembly cited eight specific allegations of gross misconduct as the basis for the move.
This is the third time Fubara and Odu would be facing impeachment proceedings from the Assembly since coming to office in 2023.
Attempts to impeach them in 2023 and 2025, amid political feuds between the Governor and his predecessor and erstwhile political god-father, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been halted by presidential intervention.
Here are the allegations below:
1. Reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds
2. Unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds
3. Hindering the Rivers Assembly from performing its constitutional duties
4. Illegal appointments of persons without screening by the House of Assembly as provided by the Constitution
5. Seizure of salaries and funds meant for Assembly members
6. Seizure of salaries of the clerk of the Rivers House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi
7. Refusal to implement provisions of the Constitution on financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary
8. Withholding of funds meant for the running of the Rivers House of Assembly Service Commission and hindering its activities
Lilian Adebayo, the wife of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, has said that the party will unseat the ruling All Progressive Party at the 2027 election if Nigerians are true to themselves.
Mrs Adebayo made this assertion known on Wednesday during an interview with journalists after an event in Abuja.
According to her, the opposition party has overcome its crisis after the expulsion of its former chairman, Shehu Gabam and others.
She said Nigerians should vote the APC out in the 2027 general election due to the hardship the party has plunged citizens into.
“There is always a crisis in the party; the SPD has been able to handle its own. The problems in the party have been resolved.
“He has a great chance of winning the election if Nigerians are honest with themselves. If Nigerians think that the ones they consistently vote for would move the country forward, they live in denial,” she concerning the husband.
Recall that SDP recently expelled Gabam and other party executives.
The party’s state chairmen on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to investigate Gabam over alleged misappropriation.
In a significant political move, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Mbah announced his decision during a televised broadcast in Enugu after weeks of speculation.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Mbah explained that his decision to join the PDP was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
Ahead of the governor’s defection, all members of his cabinet had on joined the ruling party.
Governor Mbah’s Senior Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, confirmed the mass defection in a video posted on his social media handles on Monday. In the video, several government officials were seen openly declaring their allegiance to the APC, chanting praises for President Bola Tinubu and affirming their commitment to the new party.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh stated.
The officials, including commissioners and top aides, could be heard in the video declaring, “We are now in APC; tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The collective defection marks a significant political shift in Enugu State, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999.
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