By DADA AYOKHAI
The Edo State chapter of the people’s Democratic party PDP, today, presented certificate of returns to the party’s Senatorial, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly candidates across the state ahead of the 2023 National and House of Assemblies election
The recipient of today’s ceremony belongs to the State Governor Godwin Obaseki faction of the party.
In Edo north senatorial district , certificate were presented to Senator Francis Alimikhena, the incumbent member representing Edo north senatorial district at the National Assembly who is seeking for a third term mandate.
others who got the certificate of returns are the Party candidates for the 3 House of representatives seat of the district, Andrew momodu, Etsako, Jimah Ijegbai, Owan and kabiru Adjoto, Akoko Edo.
The 24 members of the House of Assembly candidates were also not left as they took turns to pick their certificate of returns.
Presenting the Certificates to the various candidates took place at the party secretariat in, Benin ,
In a remarks, the state Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi said the candidates are to go out and canvass for votes and ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming elections.
“What has happened today was the presentation of the Certificate of Returns to all the elected candidates of the PDP to the various elective positions in the state.
“You will recall that the National Working Committee (SWC) set up various panels to come and conduct primaries for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and to the Senate seats in Edo State.
“These candidates were the candidates that emerged from those various panels that were sent to Edo.
“When the Certificates of Returns were ready in Abuja, I was called to come and pick them up and today, we have to hand them over on behalf of the National Chairman, to our candidates for the various elections coming up next year.
“What that means is that these are the candidates of the party in Edo State.
“They have their Certificate of Returns and we expect that they should go round the nooks and crannies of this state to make sure that the certificates are returned with mandate for the party to know that the certificates that were given out to them today were not just given out to them in vain.
“So, we expect a lot from the candidates, we expect that they should now go round the place, they should now appeal to everybody to be on board so that at the end we as one PDP big family, we go into the elections and win all the seats for PDP”, he said.
Aziegbemi, when asked, his messages to the electorate ahead of the elections, he admitted that it will be difficult to convince Nigerians to vote because the All Progressives Congress (APC) has made the living conditions difficult for everyone.
“Well, it is not easy for us to send our message to the public as we speak because the APC has messed up the whole thing.
“Everybody in this country will attest to the fact that we are suffering. Is it the prices of food stuff? Is it the prices of transport? What is it that you will say on this issue we are good, insecurity, is zero.
“So, for us in PDP, we are appealing to our citizens, to Nigerians, especially to Edolites, that we have done it before”, he added.
He maintained that though there is going to always be internal wrangling in the party but the party would always do all it could to mitigating it as crisis is part of politics just as he said that the party would always preach peace.
