Governor Godwin Obaseki has emerged as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the September 19, 2020 Edo State governorship election.
Obaseki emerged late on Thursday after the primaries held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, the Edo State capital.
Despite the fact that three other aspirants for the governorship ticket had stepped down for him, Obaseki still had to go through the voting process to fulfil the law.
Obaseki emerged candidate after two other aspirants, Omeregie Ogbeide-Ihama, representing the Oredo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, and Ken Imasuangbon, stepped down from the race before the election began.
The other aspirant, Gideon Ikhine, had on Monday stepped down for the governor.
Obaseki was announced as winner after the delegates had cast their votes and he got the majority.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who was the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Committee, said voting still took place in line with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act as well as acceptable democratic practices.
Mohammed said Obaseki polled 1,952 votes, while 72 votes were declared invalid from the 2,020 total votes cast.
He said the total delegates were 3,234.
The result was declared by the chairman of the committee after it was confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission officials as well as security agencies.
Speaking after his emergence, Obaseki, who defected from the All Progressives Congress after he was denied participation in the party’s primaries, promised to unite the PDP.
He said he would do all within his power to harness the potentials within the party.