By Simom Ebegbulem
PROTESTS, weekend, trailed the National Assembly primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, as the aspirants accused the leadership of the party in the state of manipulating the delegates list in favour of their preferred candidates.

Meanwhile, the wife of the former Minister of Defense, Mrs Daisy Danjuma, Senators Yisa Braimoh and Odion Magnus Ugbesia, picked the senatorial tickets for Edo South, Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts, respectively.

But the aspirant, who ran against Braimoh in the primaries, Chief Francis Alimikhena, has petitioned the Appeal Panel set up by the leadership of the party, alleging that two additional delegates from Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas were allowed to vote, while Councils such as  Akoko Edo, Etsako Central, Etsako East and West were not given such an opportunity.

Alimikhena, who spoke through the Director General of his Campaign Organisation, Mr Tom Eshemogie, explained that the delegates “from each of the councils were supposed to be 18 but the two Owans now had 20, the area Braimoh came from. Another thing they did was to ensure that illiterate delegates, who they felt will vote for us, were not given assistance while those for Braimoh were given assistance.

“So we have decided to reject the result and we are calling for fresh primaries. It is sad that they used the state machinery to campaign for Yisa Braimoh and this is unacceptable to us,” he said.

Also, a House of Assembly aspirant for Akoko Edo constituency, Bisi Idaomi, has also petitioned the Appeal Panel, alleging that the exercise was initially shifted after armed thugs shot a young man at the venue but was surprised that her fellow aspirant was announced winner of a primaries which she never took part in.