In the wake of conflicting reports and social media claims surrounding the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has conducted a fact-check to provide clarity on the matter.
On March 4, 2023, a claim circulated on X (formerly Twitter) that Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, had been disqualified. The claim further stated that Philip Shuaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State and a PDP governorship aspirant, had been declared the PDP candidate in Edo State.
However, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) War Room has fact-checked these claims and found them to be false.
On February 22, 2024, the PDP declared Asue Ighodalo as the winner of the PDP gubernatorial primary election. Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara and the returning officer of the primary election, reported that Ighodalo scored 577 votes, while his closest rival, Philip Shuaibu, scored only one vote.
Despite this, a faction led by Philip Shuaibu conducted a parallel primary election at Shuaibu’s residence after delegates were allegedly denied entry to the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.
Bartholomew Moses, the returning officer of this parallel election, declared Shuaibu as the PDP candidate.
However, the PDP presented the certificate of return to Ighodalo at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja.
Umar Damagum, the party’s national chairman, stated, “The PDP is one and that the party organised and recognised only the primary election which took place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin and produced Ighodalo as its candidate.”
After Ighodalo’s certification, the Edo State House of Assembly issued an impeachment notice to Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu. Despite these political manoeuvres, the CDD War Room’s findings indicate that Asue Ighodalo remains the recognized candidate of the PDP and will fly the PDP flag in the September 2024 election.
Therefore, the claim that Asue Ighodalo has been disqualified and Philip Shuaibu has been declared the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Edo State is false.
