Asue Ighodalo, a businessman and lawyer, has declared himself the only legitimate winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Edo State.
He was declared the winner by Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State. However, Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu rejected the outcome, claiming it was marred by irregularities. Shaibu claimed he won the primary held by his faction, which had the backing of the state executive committee of the PDP. He warned that the PDP would lose the governorship election if it did not recognize him as its candidate. Ighodalo said he followed the due process approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) and that he was not aware of any other candidate emerging from the party until he heard it on TV.
The crisis in the Edo PDP has raised concerns about the unity and stability of the party as it prepares to face the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the governorship election.