Obaseki’s Grip In Edo PDP (Lost Or About To Be Lost?)

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki is currently facing yet another political battle for his life over several failed attempts to infuse his loyalists, into the leadership structure of the party in the state through harmonisation.

All appeals advanced by Obaseki to the legacy members of the party, for the governor to bring those that decamped with him from the APC by way of sharing party executive position, has pitched the governor against the national vice chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih and Hon Ogbeide Ihama and others.

Frustrated by his inability to have his way, some PDP loyalists had last penultimate, slammed suspension on some top members of the party, a move that was quashed by the National Working Committee of the party.

As if that was not enough, Obaseki loyalists battling for the soul of the party, circulated a controversial court order from a Federal High Court in Benin, purportedly stopping Dan Orbih and others from attending the national convention of PDP in Abuja slated for Friday.

But it was barely 24 hours when Edo State Judiciary countered the false claim being peddled by the governor’s faction of the PDP, that it has restrained the party’s vice chairman in the South/South, Chief Dan Orbih and 10 others from participating in the forthcoming National Convention of the party to be held in Abuja on the 30th and 31st of October.

Court of Justice, H.O. Osawaru Esq. with REF. NO. EDJ/PRO/2021/VOL.11/130 stated: “The attention of the Edo State Judiciary has been drawn to some publications to the effect that an Edo State High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice J.O. Okeaya-Inneh retrained the National Vice Chairman (South South of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP) Chief Dan Orbih and the State Secretary of the Party, Hilary Otsu and others from participating in the party’s National Convention scheduled for October 30 and 31, 2021.

“Let it be stated for record purposes that no such restraining order was issued by Hon. Justice J.O. Okeaya-Inneh. The applicants were only ordered to place the Respondents on Notice and leave was granted to the Claimants/Applicants to serve the originating process on the PDP outside the jurisdiction of the Court and a further leave was granted to the Applicant to serve the originating process by substituted means.

“The enrollment order which the media houses based their publication on did not place a restraining order on anyone.” The implication of the governor’s inability to have his men in the leadership structure of the PDP in the state is that he may not be able to produce even a councillor of his ward in future elections.

Credit: LEADERSHIP