Society Gists

The contention for the governorship ticket of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State narrowed, yesterday, after Senator Ehigie Uzamere announced his resignation from the party.

Senator Uzamere, the only person to have won re-election to the Senate from Edo South senatorial zone, was until recently, speculated to be a leading contender for the party’s governorship ticket, though he never formally made his declaration.

No reason was given for his resignation from the party and the senator did not give any indication as to his next political moves.

Senator Uzamere first won election to the Senate in 2007 on the platform of the PDP and made history when he won re-election in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

He, however, did not follow through with other members of that party to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, as he returned to the PDP, a party whose ticket he famously denounced as having lost value like the then Zimbabwean dollar.

In his letter withdrawing his membership of the PDP, Uzamere said: “I wish to thank the leaders of the PDP at the national, state, local government and ward levels for their unflinching support and provision of platform for my first term as senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Edo South Senatorial District (2007—2011).

“I also wish to thank the leaders of the ACN, as it then was, for their unflinching support and provision of platform for my second term (2011—2015). “My heartfelt appreciation goes to the general electorate of Edo South senatorial district for giving me their mandate for eight years, the first of its kind in Edo South senatorial district.”