The cracks in the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) widened yesterday.
The legacy coalition, led by the National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, Chief Dan Orbih, warned Governor Godwin Obaseki against imposing a successor.
The immediate past Edo PDP Chairman declared that Obaseki would not have his way ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
At a meeting held at his residence, Orbih said: “The new group, Legacy Coalition, is made up of members of PDP before Obaseki joined us on June 19, 2020, some founding members of the party who earlier left, and politicians who came into PDP with Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“With last Saturday’s victory of PDP’s Senator Douye Diri in the off-season governorship election in Bayelsa State, PDP’s governorship candidate can also win the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State despite having APC’s President Bola Tinubu, through proper planning, not minding the fact that Obaseki coming into Edo PDP divided the party.
“We have realised that we have challenges in Edo PDP. We have also realised that we have our destiny in our own hands.
“The next Edo governor, through your (legacy coalition members’) support will be somebody who will not ask you to introduce yourself before he will recognise you.
“We are going to have a governor who has been part of us and will remain part of us. We want a governor who will know the challenges that we are facing as a state and people.
“One of the reasons I am no longer as frequent as I used to be in Benin City is that each time I look at what we are facing today, I bleed in my heart.
“There was a PDP that was united in love, before the election of Obaseki, but he joined us and divided the party.
“With the faces here, I am convinced that the way forward for PDP to retain power is to elect somebody in this group as the next governor of Edo State.”
A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP, Charles Idahosa, said the party must communicate adequately with the national leadership.
Idahosa expressed displeasure over the face-off between Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu while condemning the decision of some PDP leaders in Edo, who opted not to condemn Obaseki’s dictatorial tendencies.
The legacy coalition also had two ex-members of the House of Representatives from Edo: Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Sergius Ogun, as well as a former Edo Women Leader of the APC, Dr. Esosa Amadasun; an ex-Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Frank Okiye and a former Commissioner, Orobosa Omo-Ojo.
A senatorial candidate of PDP in Edo North, Pascal Ugbmohe and many ex-chairmen of local government councils are also members of the legacy coalition.
(Nation)
