By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has organized ward congresses across the 192 wards in the state to elect adhoc delegates ahead of the party primaries.
Chairman of the Edo PDP Ward Congress Electoral Committee, Dr. Kingsley Emu, who addressed the State Working Committee at the party secretariat in Benin City ahead of the commencement of the exercise, said the ward congresses will produce 576 adhoc delegates from the 192 wards in Edo State.
The exercise across the 192 wards of Edo State was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The chairman noted that each ward is expected to produce three adhoc delegates in line with the party guidelines.
Emu said, “The process starts from the ward. We have 192 wards in Edo State and 18 local government areas and the congress is expected to produce 576 delegates for the election with one national from every local government area.
“When we say the processes start from the ward, it means that there shall be congresses in each ward as every ward is expected to produce its own adhoc delegate. The report is then forwarded to the Local Government Monitoring Committee and sent to the State Secretariat where the final collation is done.”
He continued, “The voters must be card carrying members of the PDP. Their cards are not bound to be signed by the wards’ chairmen and secretaries; so long they have been signed by the national it becomes authentic.
“We are happy with the development here and have visited one or two locations where the congress is going on and we are here at the party Secretariat for the collation; we will do it objectively.”
On his part, Edo PDP Chairman, Tony Azeigbemi said, “The PDP National Executive Committee fixed 30th of April 2022 (today) to conduct the congress to elect the three-man adhoc delegate.
“The National Working Committee set up this Committee to conduct this congress here. It’s not a state affair but a national affair. The chairman and secretary will run through the procedures adopted to get the exercise done.”
As at press time, results from the election were still being awaited.
