By Andrew Iyoha
The crisis in the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has hit the Atiku campaign in the state following the disavowal of the 387 member State Campaign Council by the mainstream of the State Executive Committee, SEC of the party in the state.
The state exco has also accused the state government of playing hanky-panky with the campaign in the state.
GWG.NG reports that the PDP in the state has been divided between associates of Governor Godwin Obaseki and those of the influential national vice-chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih.
Dan Orbih has the overwhelming majority of the state exco aligned to him with the notable exception of the state chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi.
A section of the party had published a 387 member state executive campaign council with Governor Obaseki as chairman, his deputy Hon Philip Shaibu as co-chairman and Aziegbemi as deputy chairman in Vanguard on Monday, October 17, 2022.
The list which has however, been disowned by the SEC which acting through the deputy chairman, Harrison Omagbon, state secretary Hilary Otsu and 16 of the 18 local government chairmen disowned the list.
In a statement made available to GWG.NG, the SEC said:
Our attention has been drawn to a Vanguard Newspaper publication of 17th October, 2022, on pages 14 and 16.
We, the undersigned members of the State working Committee and Local Government chapter chairmen hereby wish to inform all Edo PDP members and supporters that:
1. We reject the Edo State Campaign Council list as published in the Vanguard Newspaper. The constitution of the purported campaign council list was never discussed by any of the Party organs in the state before the publication.
2. The proposed visit of the Party Presidential candidate is shrouded in secrecy in Edo Government circles.
3. We urge all party members in the state to disregard the said publication and intensify all efforts in grassroots mobilization, to ensure victory for our Candidates in the forthcoming elections.
GWG.NG reports that the crisis is bound to upset some of the inner circle of the Atiku Campaign which has Edo politician, Senator Ehigie Uzamere as a key player.