Uptown Press can report that there are some controversies surrounding the waiver of Asuen Ighodalo by Governor Godwin Obaseki for the PDP Governorship aspirants in Edo State.
Some party stakeholders have rejected the waiver, citing that Governor Obaseki’s action goes against the PDP’s constitution, specifically Section 9, Paragraph 3, of Page 68, which requires a minimum of two years of Party membership to be eligible to contest.
The Concerned Edo PDP Patriots have submitted a petition to the Chairman of Edo State Governorship election 2024 Screening Committee and Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, expressing their concerns about the matter.
The petition was also copied to several other party officials, including the PDP Acting National Chairman, members of its National Working Committee (NWC), and the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), among others.
The petition reads, “We, the undersigned, wish to bring to your attention a matter of critical importance regarding the purported waiver planned for the aspirant of the incumbent Governor, Asuen ighodalo, in the upcoming Edo State Gubernatorial election of 2024.
“It has come to our notice that the planned waiver directly contravene the party’s constitution as amended in Section 9, Paragraph 3, of Page 68, which unequivocally states that there shall be a minimum of two years membership span for a member to be eligible to stand for election into any public office.
“It is evident that the anointed candidate of the governor (Asuen Ighodalo) does not meet this requirement as stipulated in the party’s constitution. We believe that adhering to the provisions of the party’s constitution is paramount to upholding the principles of fairness and equality within our political processes.
“Granting a waiver that overlooks this vital membership requirement not only undermines the integrity of the democratic process but also goes against the fundamental tenets of our party’s constitution.
“With this in mind, we respectfully urge the screening committee to consider this petition and to refrain from making any erroneous decisions that could potentially jeopardize the party’s chances of retaining the state.
“It is crucial that the screening committee upholds the rule of law as outlined in the party’s constitution, thereby ensuring that the Edo people are presented with a viable and befitting leadership capable of addressing the social, economic, and infrastructural challenges that they currently face.
“We trust that the screening committee will give due consideration to this petition and take the necessary steps to uphold the values and principles that our party stands for. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
