Obaseki: Albatross of escalating crisis in Edo PDP

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has continued to be a significant factor in the lingering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State. The early ambition of Governor Obaseki after the November 2020 governorship election without proper consultation and the corresponding resistance by the original PDP members have been the hallmark of the Edo PDP crisis. Governor Obaseki had sought to take over control of the Edo PDP but was vehemently opposed by original PDP members. The governor had sought to dissolve the PDP executive in Edo which precipitated internal conflicts in the party.

Governor Obaseki defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP in October 2020 during his dispute with the former APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. The former APC chairman had used the party structure to frustrate Obaseki from getting the APC governorship ticket to seek re-election for a second tenure. Oshiomhile, accordingly, used party structure to disqualify Obaseki from contesting the APC primary election. Oshiomhole had anointed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who later got the party’s governorship ticket.

After consultations and negotiations, Obaseki defected to the PDP, got the governorship ticket, and won the election.

Governor Obaseki is not yet one in the PDP. The original PDP members have reasons to be suspicious or uncomfortable of handing the state PDP to a new member from another party.

Albeit, Governor Obaseki has rescinded the decision to dissolve the PDP state executive, the struggle between the factions has continued to escalate the internal conflict. Also, the governor has not considered calling the faction composed of his loyalists and supporters led by Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, to end hostilities.

Governor Obaseki’s initial plan to dissolve the state leadership but was resisted, came up after the state congress where the party leaders were elected, and their renewed tenure had not elapsed.

The delay of Governor Obaseki to appoint members of the State Executive Council – commissioners and others – further give currency to the mutual suspicion and distrust by the original PDP members.

They expressed fear that Governor Obaseki may transfer party control to his loyalists who defected with him from APC, while PDP members who built the party over the years, essentially, the 12 years of being in opposition, may be relegated to the periphery of the parry’s decision-making structure.

The lingering conflict over party control has been taken to the local governments, senatorial districts, and constituencies.

One of the warring factions led by Chief Mike Ogiadomhe on May 8, 2021, held a meeting where they passed vote of no confidence on the State Executive, also attacked the PDP chairman, south-south, Chief Dan Orbih, urging Governor Obaseki to dissolve the state party structures unto the local governments and wards. Ogiadomhe also declared that Governor Obaseki is the PDP leader in Edo State. He was subsequently suspended from the PDP by his ward leaders in Etsako Central Local Government Area and removed as leader of the Elders Council in the state.

Thereafter, the original PDP members raised the alarm of a segment of APC members who followed Governor Obaseki to the PDP and some PDP members, holding an emergency meeting on May 12 where they resolved to move in bloc into the Action Alliance (AA) to lead the party in Edo State.

The faction stated that highlights of the meeting of the group identified to be sympathetic to the governor included: to stop attending meetings with original PDP members; to get a new secretariat at State, LGA and Ward levels with the aim of creating a PDP faction. They also planned to recruit their choice members for Local Government Chairmen and Councilors to contest the LG election in the state on the platform of another political party, the AA, and ensure that EDSIEC delivers all AA candidates. Also, the elected AA local government chairmen and councilors will help form the foundation of the AA in Edo State before they will all formally move into AA, while they sighted APGA in Anambra as a successful template.

The original PDP members also alleged that the emergent faction further plans to appoint government officials – commissioners, advisers and others – from party loyalists who defected with Governor Obaseki from the APC; and at the same time lure hungry original PDP members with money, small contracts and appointments that will be withdrawn after they settle into AA.

Then, finally, “they will destroy PDP first with factions like they did in APC and move to AA by mid next year before 2023 election primaries.”

The faction called on the original PDP members to note that they meant well, did well and rescued Obaseki and his team from the big stick of Adams Oshiomhole and the APC, adding that no plot to destroy the PDP will succeed. The Original PDP members, therefore, declared: “fear not, for we have survived 12 years before now and will survive additional 3 years.
“Now, we can see that it’s not all that glitters is Gold; we can only learn from our mistakes and come out stronger if and only if we stand together, forgive ourselves of treacherous moves that divided us which led to the divide and rule that put us where we are today.”

They further declared their stand in the #ORIGINAL PDP.

The skirmishes were taken to the Egor Local Government Area at a congress convened by party members sympathetic to Governor Obaseki. There, the party chairman in the local council, Manfred Ekundayo, and the Secretary, Moses Osarumwense, were suspended from the PDP.

The Local Government PDP Assistant Secretary in Egor, Ikponmwosa Eguavon, at the party Secretariat at Uselu,

announced the appointment of Efosa Ayo, former Deputy Chairman of the PDP, as PDP Acting Chairman in the council, declaring their support for Governor Obaseki.

In a statement signed by eight members of the factional executive members, who include Efosa, Eguavon, Dickson Obazee, the party Auditor, and three ex-officio members – Paul Osaremwenda, Alhaji O. Ebomwonyi and Funmi Usiabulu, as well as Idemudia Stanley and Ekhator Stanley, both ward chairmen, the faction alleged that the suspended leaders were not allowing the PDP national leaders to resolve the crisis in the state.

They alleged that the suspended officials were extorting money from aspirants in the local government area seeking PDP tickets for the coming local government council and state House of Assembly elections.

The faction in the statement declared: “We also want use this medium to therefore, unanimously pass vote of implicit confidence on our amiable Governor of Edo State, Godwin N. Obaseki; the Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaib; Secretary to State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. and the PDP Co-ordinator of Egor Local Government Area, Chief Odion Olaye”.

Subsequently, the Edo North Senatorial District convened another factional meeting which the leaders said was in compliance with Part V.19(3) of the Party Constitution to address urgent matters arising from the expanded State Executive meeting on May 10, 2021.

The senatorial executive committee in a statement on May 17 signed by Chief Babah Sheriff Idenobemhe, State Assistant Secretary, Edo North Senatorial District; and Chief S.A. Balogun, Deputy Chairman, Edo North Senatorial District, declared their reaffirmation and backing of the position/decision of the expanded State Working Committee meeting held on the 10^th of May 2021.

The Senatorial District therefore dissociated the members from the views expressed by Chief Mike Ogiadomhe and others at the meeting held on the 8^th of May 2021. “The views expressed by them were personal and inimical to the interest of members of the party in Edo North Senatorial District,” the party leaders declared.

They further declared that the senatorial district also passed a vote of confidence on the state executive committee led/chaired by Hon. Anthony Azegbembi.

The statement further read: “the senatorial district has observed with disgust the divisive activities and anti-party activities of Chief Mike Ogiadomhe and hereby endorse all the decisions taken about him in his local government, Etsako Central.

“We, hereby, resolve that Chief Mike Ogiadomhe is not the leader of Edo Elders Forum of the PDP as he claims.

“We, hereby, reaffirm that High Chief Aleogho Raymond Dokpesi is the leader of Edo North Elders Forum recognized by the Edo North Senatorial Executive.

“The Senatorial Executive is totally against any form of illegality as we uphold the party constitution to address burning issues while praying for peaceful resolution of the slight misunderstanding between the Party and Governor of the state.”

It would appear that the newcomers into the Edo PDP are using the executive powers at the behest of Governor Obaseki to suppress the original party members and hijack the state PDP.