By Ogochukwu Isioma
After losing the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket to Adams Oshiomhole, Sen. Francis Alimekhena has now won the ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general elections.
Alimekhena, current Senator representing Edo North at the National Assembly, had lost his return bid to Oshiomhole, a former national chairman of the party, at the APC primaries conducted last month 28th May.
However, Alimekhena, citing “injustice”, dumped the APC for the opposition PDP and has now won the controversial rerun primary election of the party conducted today(Saturday) for the senatorial district.
According to reports, the senator garnered 181 delegates votes following what the organizers called “voluntary withdrawal” of the former candidate from the race.
But the winner of the initial primary and PDP senatorial candidate, Pascal Ugbome, has come out to rebuke the rerun primary, saying he never withdrew from the race as alleged by the organizers.
Read his statement below:
“My attention has been drawn to a concocted, wicked and malicious rumour making the rounds, that a purported Supplementary Senatorial Primary has been ordered, supposedly by one National Official of our Party, PDP, to hold today for the Edo North Senatorial District.
“To the best of my knowledge and leaders of our great party, this is a strange development and certainly not a decision of our Party even as its illegality smells to high heaven.
“Secondly, it has also been alleged in another breath that a certain Senator Alimikhena has paid me for the Ticket and that I have stepped down for him. That is A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL. I am a Lawyer and not a TRADER and I cannot trade away the Mandate which the honourable Edo North PDP Delegates gave to me on the 23rd of May, 2022.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the same Delegates who voted for me also voted Our Presidential Candidate at the national convention.
“Consequently, let me reassure our teaming Supporters that I remain the duly Nominated Edo North PDP Candidate and flagbearer of the PDP for the seat of Senator representing Edo North in the forthcoming general Election slated for 2023. I look forward to vigorously Campaign and deliver Victory to our Party at the 2023 Senatorial Election.”
