2023 Polls: Respite For Edo Speaker Onobun, Four Others

• As INEC updates list of PDP candidates

BY VICTOR BUORO – Respite may have come for the Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon Marcus Onobun, and four others with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listing their names as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidates across the federal constituencies of Edo State for the 2023 general election.

Those also listed as beneficiaries of the PDP tickets are Barrister Omosede Igbinedion; Barrister Jimoh Ijegbai, and former Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto

Their names were published on the website of INEC as the final list of Edo PDP candidates for the National Assembly seats. The list indicates that Speaker Onobun is seeking to represent Esan West/Esan Central and Igueben federal constituency, while Barrister Omosede is gunning for the Ovia Federal constituency seat.

On his part, Hon Adjoto is eyeing the Akoko-Edo Federal constituency while Hon Ijegbai seeks to represent Owan Federal constituency in the forthcoming polls.

For the senatorial candidates, the new list has Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen for Edo South, Senator Clifford Ordia for Edo Central, and Senator Francis Alimekhena for Edo North.

Recall that a list of Edo State PDP candidates for National Assembly seats previously published by INEC had candidates produced in the primaries organised by the Chief Dan Orbih-led faction, which was eventually annulled by the Court.

According to reports, the final names that appeared on the latest list were based on the most recent court order with a competent source hinting that the electoral body was not interested in dabbling into the internal politics of the Edo State chapter of PDP.

In confirming the updated version of the Edo PDP candidates’ list, the Head of Voter Education and Publicity of INEC in Edo State, Mr. Timidi Wariowei, said the changes were effected on INEC’s website, based on a subsisting court order.

Wariowei disclosed that; “Some people came to our office in Benin City to inquire about the authentic list of PDP candidates in Edo State for the 2023 general elections. When we checked INEC’s website, we discovered that there was an updated version of the list of PDP candidates for next year’s general elections in Edo State, strictly based on a court order.”

Further explaining that he does not have information on when the list was updated, the Commission spokesperson said; “I do not know which of the factions has its candidates on the just-updated list. I am not a politician. So, I can neither answer most of your questions nor provide the pieces of information that you require.”