The PDP And Its Problems : The Issues In Edo PDP Are Very Simple And Straightforward

The PDP and Its Problems : The Issues In Edo PDP Are Very Simple And Straightforward

Members of the Edo PDP had worked hard for years to build a strong and vibrant party that delivered everytime there was a Federal election, despite being in opposition.

Chief Dan Orbih, Rt. Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and other key stakeholders had laboured hard and spent so much resources for over a year to build a structure that was set to deliver a primary ticket to Hon. Ogbeide-Ihama.

Some members of the party like Senators Urhoghide and Ordia, Ikimi as well as some others who didn’t participate in the 2020 Congress and were looking for a back door to capture power, went to canvass for the governor to come to the Party, WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE EDO PDP.

No Senatorial leader was consulted, members who had been consistent were not consulted, just a few people decided what to do and did it on their own.

They brought Governor Godwin Obaseki at the last minute with the connivance of the then National leadership, who didn’t consult with state party leaders or even the aspirants that had put in so much and just on their own decided.

The PDP Leaders who had laboured for so long to build a house, saw the danger to party morale, unity and loyalty that that move will cause and they expressed objections.

Hon. Ogbeide-ihama who noticed the several errors in processes that had been followed in bringing the governor and saw the risk of PDP not having a candidate if Obaseki ended up been disqualified, got lawyers who raised several valid reasons why Obaseki was not eligible to participate in the primaries and went to court.

The party knew he had some serious points and the PDP governors who were really not aware of the true situation on ground, realised that a great injustice had been done. They realised the local Edo PDP had not been treated fairly at all and it was dangerous for the party to go into an election with so much grievances among members.

Gov Nyesome Ezenwo Wike – CON was very particular about this. Edo PDP had been peaceful and vibrant. This was a move that could potentially scatter the party, which would affect the party stability in the South-South. There had to be unity.

Over 8 PDP Governors and the party leadership had to fly into Port Harcourt to have a meeting where issues can be settled and frayed nerves calmed. At the meeting, agreements to guarantee peace and settle seriously brewing anger within the party were reached.

Based on all those agreements, Hon. Ogbeide-ihama withdrew his case, everyone came back to Benin City, the right things were done and the Old PDP led by Dan Orbih kept to their side of all agreements by mobilising all members to accept and work for the Governor.

Immediately after the election, Governor Obaseki changed. Instead of keeping to his side of the agreements, he started demanding for the party structure to be dissolved so his people can take over in the same of ‘Harmonisation.’

He was told that wasn’t going to possible because these people were duly elected for a 4-year tenure and that dissolution is alien to our party constitution, apart from the fact that it will lead to litigations because they will go to court, it is also immoral for you to join a party, take the joint ticket (Gov and his DG), got these same people to work for you with all their heart, you won and appointed your people in all key positions, thereafter, asked that such people be removed.

He was told that a good solution was to offer the executives appointments and that anyone who is interested will take the appointments and then resign by themselves so that he can replace these open positions with his people.

Those who were seeking their selfish interest by wanting to use Obaseki to scatter the structure that came from the Congress they refused to participate in, kept misleading the Governor by telling him to ignore Dan Orbih who was now PDP Vice Chairman and insist on Harmonisation. They kept telling him he is ‘The Leader’ of the party and must be allowed to take full control.

They then resorted to violence, breaking into secretariats and ‘suspending’ these same leaders who had worked for him in an election he just won, all because they resisted his attempts to treat loyal and committed party members as slaves.

They insulted, attacked and humiliated party leaders, just because they resisted the Governor’s attempt to grab party power and structure. They went to court to disqualify party leaders from participating in Congress and also went to court to remove party executives.

Thankfully, the law was on the side of the old PDP. They won all 6 cases taken to court.

Now Primaries are around the corner, and the party members they treated like rags and slaves have insisted that they won’t be fooled a second time, they have said that it is time for everyone to live with their actions.

You can’t eat your cake and have it. They have said they will support only those who stood for them and fought for them not to be thrown out of a party they labored for because they have realized that the Governor and his people cannot be trusted.

THESE ARE THE ISSEUS AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDO NORTH OVER EDO SOUTH OR TRIBALISM OR WHATSOEVER.

Dan Orbih is leading the true PDP members who have been badly treated by the governor and his people to insist on the PDP constitution and what is right. It has nothing to do with the myopic and false view of being against a Benin man.

All the delegates in Edo South he is fighting for, are they not Benins? When they cheated Hon. Ogbeide-Ihama and he stood firm, was he not fighting for a Benin man?

This is about a Governor who has gotten everything he got politically free of charge and without labouring, and does not know that pain and value in building a structure in tough times.

He was handed on a platter of gold the Head of economic team. In 2016, he was handed APC governorship ticket on platter of gold and then again In 2020, he was also given the PDP ticket on a platter of gold. This is the simple reason why he doesn’t understand what it is to labour for something.

He should go to another party and build a structure from scratch. When he does, he will understand why nobody will let him destroy a house he didn’t build.

This is about a Governor that lacks that key value of Gratitude. A Governor who has a history of turning against his benefactors.

Long live Edo state!!