As the issue of membership harmonisation in the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assumes new twist, HENDRIX OLIOMOGBE, examines some inherent salient issues in the protracted muscle flexing.
The doleful prediction of pundits that the centre between the aborigines, as the old guards of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) label themselves in Edo and the new entrants from the All Progressives Congress (APC), will not hold for long, is slowly coming to pass. Things seem to be falling fast apart between the feuding factions.
Three competing camps are wrestling for the control of the party in the state. There is the bloc led by Chief Dan Orbih, the South-South national zonal vice-chairman of the PDP; the second under the leadership of the state chairman, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi and the third which is made up of defectors from the APC and coordinated by Governor Godwin Obaseki. While Aziegbemi seemed to be walking a middle path between Edo State Governor Obaseki and Orbih, what was however rumoured as a cold war between the two political gladiators is threatening to turn hot, upsetting the amity among the party faithful.
In defiance of the old adage which warned against washing grimy garments in the public, Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Phillip Shaibu choose to launder the party’s dirty clothes in the market place in full public glare. Shaibu, who betrayed his emotion in an impassioned speech, barred it all in the open, on March 10 at a welcome rally for the national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu in Benin.
Before Shaibu’s outburst, Governor Obaseki had obviously went for Chief Orbih’s jugular when he pointed the door to any PDP member, who is uncomfortable with his leadership style of the party.
Obaseki, who spoke during an expanded caucus meeting of leaders and members of the PDP in the state, said he has no plan to defect from the PDP. The governor insisted that the party is now fully harmonised, stressing that the constitution of the party bequeaths him with the leadership of the party in the state, a position which is not up for contest by anyone. He noted: “There is no division in Edo PDP. Let the party be open to accommodate others. PDP is democratic. The hallmark of democracy is ensuring that the majority has their way, as the minority can’t dictate to the people.
“I heard that Chief Dan Orbih went around, saying there is no harmonization in Edo PDP. This is really irresponsible to say and an insult to members of the party, as the party has truly harmonized in the state.
“PDP in Edo State is harmonised because before we made any appointments in any ward, we made sure the party at that level was harmonized. We are gathered here now as election timetable is out; harmonisation has been done, appointments made and we are ready to win any election before us.”
He declared: “I can’t leave PDP. I will not decamp from the PDP; we will always win any election. PDP won in the last election and we will continue to win all elections in the state and country; nothing will stop us as a party.”
The heart of the matter is the dogged foul fight for the control of the soul of the PDP in Edo. The warring parties have dug into their trenches and have sworn not to concede an inch. While Governor Obaseki and Comrade Shaibu found favour with their erstwhile mentor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of the APC, their resolute opponent, Chief Orbih was the Edo State chairman of the PDP. The battle line was clearly drawn.
Fate, however, brought the three men together in June of 2020, when Obaseki and Shaibu parted path with Oshiomhole and kissed goodbye to the APC following the governor’s disqualification over sundry issues.
To the waiting arms of Orbih and the big umbrella of the PDP did they eventually run to for shelter when the acolytes could no longer hear the master. Against all odds, the governor was awarded the party’s governorship ticket despite the stout stand of Orbih and the favourite governorship aspirant, House of Representatives member, Dr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama (Oredo) and others were ordered to drop out of the race.
The next pitch battle between the old guards and the brand new defectors shifted to the choice of a running mate. Again, the new PDP as they are called had their way.
Following his swearing in for a second term after his emphatic victory in the September 19, 2020 poll, the expectations were for an equitable sharing of top offices but to the chagrin of the old PDP, the governor chose Mr. Osarodion Ogie as the Secretary to the State Government; former lawmaker, Osaigbovo Iyoha as his Chief of Staff and a host of other appointments.
The cold war between the old and the new apparently resulted in the long delay in the constitution of the state executive council which was finally rounded off only last month, 15 months after the governor was inaugurated for a second term of office in November 2020. Again, while the old had the shout, the new had the way in form of majority of commissioners, special advisers and assistants.
Determined not to be beaten again, the aborigines as the old members call themselves seemed to have regrouped in a last ditch effort to retain the party structure in the state since the new entrants are in control of the government.
At the rally, the deputy governor was brutally honest: “Sir, people are saying that the governor will not leave the PDP, but he will only remain if his foot soldiers remain in the party.”
Amidst applause, he added: “We want you to resolve this problem in our party. We have what it takes to take over the national position in the next election. Wherever Edo goes, is where Nigeria will go. If you solve the problem in Edo, you have solved the problem in Nigeria.”
Another clear sign that all is not well was the visible absence of Orbih, House of Representatives member (Oredo), Dr Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and other top aborigines from the rally. Speaking on his mobile phone, Orbih said he was “out of town” and so couldn’t make it to the venue.
The Edo South senatorial leader of the party, Elder Owere Imasogie pointedly accused some recent detectors from the APC of hatching a plot to effect a change in the state executive council of the PDP. Besides, he fumed that in the choice of Ogie as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the party was not consulted and only got to know of it in the media. Imasigie warned that the aborigines will not fold their hands and watch the desecration of the party by the new entrants who came with Governor Obaseki in the heat of the governorship campaigns. The foundation member of the main opposition party reminded that the Dr Anthony Aziegbemi-led exco, which emerged at a congress of the party in March 2020, must serve out its four years mandate as stipulated by the party’s constitution.
The PDP top leader pleaded with Governor Obaseki to call the “trouble makers” whom he insisted are trying to cause confusion in the party to order. Imasogie said: “The PDP has a constitution. Those elected have a mandate of four years and until their tenure expires, you cannot change the state and local council excos. We didn’t have grudges against members of the recently dissolved members of the state executive council, the senior special assistants and the council chairmen who were all APC members. That’s how we met it.
“What these new members are now demanding is that we disolve the party excos at both the state, local government and ward levels to bring in their men. That’s not possible and is a recipe for disaster.”
Imasogie accused the new members of being fair weather politicians who came to grab and were never interested in the fortunes of the PDP, noting that it was the original members of the party that delivered the governor and not the defectors.
A top PDP member, who would not want his name in print, explained that the cracks within the party are so deep that the party may implode except there is an urgent amicable resolution of the conflict. Tracing the genesis of the cold war, he said that it had to do with the marginalisation of the new members who consist of the 18 local government areas executive council and the state executive council who left the APC with Governor Obaseki to the PDP.
Against the backdrop of these rising tempers, Ayu who spoke at the rally called for calm, assuring that the party will soon set up a team to resolve the crisis in Edo PDP and ensure that the governor does not make a move. Ayu added: “Let no one deceive you that he (Obaseki) is leaving PDP. Nigerians will see how we will receive all those from other parties. In 2023, we shall be back in power; we have started working towards that.
“Edo people, learn from my own state, Benue. If you fight, you will lose the election. I am going to bring a team that will settle the issue in Edo. I have been working from behind, I am happy that the deputy governor, Shaibu said the truth that the leadership of the party in the state is not working. We are very close to solving the crisis in Edo. Once the leadership is divided you won’t get a good result. All our emphasis is on unity. We cannot talk about taking over power in 2023 if our state leadership is not on good terms.”
Ayu added: “Edo is going to produce the highest number of votes in the next general election. We shall win all the Senatorial and House of Representatives’ seats. I want to assure you that by next week, all the issues in Edo PDP will be resolved. All the leaders in Edo should help to resolve the problem, not to fire it more. We will engineer the process and they will conclude the process.”