Again, PDP shifts Edo primary to Thursday, grants Obaseki waiver to contest

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again shifted its Edo governorship primary wherein the candidate of the party in the September 19 election is expected to emerge.

The primary earlier scheduled to hold today was shifted to June 23 but has now been scheduled to hold on Thursday, June 25, 2020. The opposition party took the new decision after Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, joined its fold.

Mr Obaseki who was disqualified by the All Progressive Congress (APC) from participating in its primary was also granted waiver by the National Working Committee (NWC) to participate in the Thursday primary of the PDP.

Spokesman of the opposition party, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Friday, said the action of the NWC is pursuant to Section 29(2)(b) of the PDP constitution and in exercise of the powers of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under Section (50)(3)(b) of the PDP constitution.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) in exercise of the above powers has ratified the application for waiver by the ward, local government & state executives of the party in Edo state and accordingly grants waiver to H. E. Governor Godwin Obaseki to enable him contest the gubernatorial primary of the PDP,” the statement partly read.

“Also the NWC has further shifted the Edo state governorship primary from an earlier slated date of Tuesday, June 23 to a new date of Thursday June 25, 2020,” it added.