Obaseki survives Wike’s revolt, takes firm control of Edo PDP

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State may have successfully survived the perceived revolt of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders which seemingly threatened his ambition to seek re-election for a second tenure.  The Rivers State governor had from the elementary arrangements for the defection of the Edo State Governor from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic P:arty (PDP) sounded the trumpet loud that the defecting governor will not be given automatic ticket of the PDP for the September governorship election in Edo State, adding that the governor must go through the primary election of the party.

There were insinuations that the Rivers State governor has interest or may be supporting a particular governorship aspirant, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, for the PDP governorship ticket.

The political calculus may have been that Governor Obaseki would have herculean task of mobilizing support in the PDP less than two weeks to the primary election to overwhelm those other aspirants who have been there from the Adams.

The potential option left for Obaseki was deep negotiation, bargaining, horse trading and consensus building with established stakeholders in the PDP, essentially, the governorship aspirants. The alternative would be for the governor to bring in legion of supporters from the APC who would also obtain PDP membership cards in less than one week to the primaries to vote overwhelmingly for the governor at the primaries.

The tool of bargaining and horse trading may have liquidated all obstructions, paving the way for Governor Obaseki not only to participate in the primaries but with hope of getting the PDP ticket for the governorship election in September.

When one of the aspirants, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, flew out of Benin City across Delta State, Anambra and others into Rivers State to seek court injunction to restrain Governor Obaseki from participating in the PDP primaries, the compass of his movement generated suspicion over his source of energy in the race. However, the bargaining strength of the incumbent Edo Governor turned the compass inward, culminating in agreement to settle out of court. Apparently, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, subsequently, struck out the suit brought before it by Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama seeking to stop Governor Obaseki from participating in Thursday’s PDP governorship primaries, in Edo State.

A counsel to the aspirant, D. C. Denwigwe, (SAN), in an oral application at the resumption of hearing on Wednesday, acquainted the court that the parties in the suit had resolved the matter. He maintained the clients have settled and have directed their counsels to withdraw the case. The counsel further apologised to the court for the inconveniences, urging that the matter be struck out based on the oral prayers.

Emmanuel Enoidem, Counsel for the 1st defendant, Uche Secondus and 3rd to the 7th defendant, counsel for the 2nd defendant, Higher King and Counsel for the 8th and 9th defendants, Alex Ejesiema, SAN also aligned with the motion.

The presiding Judge, Justice E. O. Obile, struck out the suit in accordance with the submissions of the counsels.

Emmanuel Enoidem, PDP National Legal Adviser admitted that they agreed that the party must be united.

Alex Ejesiema (SAN), Governor Godwin Obaseki’s lawyer on his part, said they were prepared for it.

He also noted that there is no more obstruction for Governor Obaseki and therefore, he can contest.

Ogbeide-ihama had filed a suit in the court asking it to prevent any member of the party that has purchased forms but not screened within the time stipulated to contest the PDP primary.

Subsequently, the court on Tuesday, granted the request for an accelerated hearing of the suit but before the hearing on the application today, Ogbeide-Ihama’s counsel requested that the court stood down the case for some time, to allow for an out-of-court settlement.

The presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Obile, granted the prayers after the counsel to all the defendants aligned with the request.

Governor Wike had stormed out of the PDP reconciliation meeting in Benin City on Tuesday.

The Rivers governor had out of provocation said that some members of PDP National Working Committee (NWC) begave like tax collectors who will never tell the truth.

“I told them that in Edo State, we must handle the issue carefully and carry everybody along. They must respect human beings and not behave like tax collectors.

“They said because an order was obtained from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, then, I am responsible.

“I have had sleepless nights to resolve the issue in Edo State. The Governors of Edo, Adamawa, and Delta states know what I have done to resolve the issues in Edo State,” Wike had protested.

Obaseki also succeed in having an aspirant stepping down for him and mobilizing his loyalists to support the incumbent governor at the Thursday primaries in Edo State.

The storm has been calm and the PDP appears going into the Thursday primaries more united and peaceful. The anticipation is that the party will move ahead stronger and more united in the post-primaries period in the governorship election.