The supremacy battle between Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and the National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, is taking a dangerous dimension, ahead of the April 19 this year’s chairmanship and councillorship elections, with each of the camps fixing different dates for primaries.
Obaseki’s group, in the “Notice of Election,” signed by Edo PDP’s Organising Secretary, Tony Anenih (Jr.), a son of the late Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, a.k.a. Mr. Fix It, on Edo PDP’s letterhead, and dated March 31, 2022, as backed by the state’s Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, fixed its primaries for April 5, with a copy of the notice obtained yesterday in Benin. The other group, backed by Orbih, the immediate Edo chairman of PDP, who is an ally of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, in a letter dated March 28, 2022, and signed by the state’s Secretary of the governing party, Hillary Otsu, fixed its primaries for April 2 (today).
Otsu’s letter, also on Edo PDP’s letterhead, was addressed to the newly-appointed Chairman of Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), Justice James Oyomire (rtd.), with office on Airport Road, Oko, Benin, the state capital, was titled: “Re: Notice of Primaries for Local Government Council Elections.”
Edo PDP secretary stated: “With reference to the meeting hosted by EDSIEC on the 28th of March, 2022, we are aware that EDSIEC has released the guidelines for the conduct of the upcoming elections. In compliance with these guidelines, we have set aside Saturday, April 2, 2022 for our party primaries for the chairmanship and councillorship elections, coming up on April 19, 2022. The above is for your information. For Edo State PDP,” with copies of the letter sent to the 18 LGA chairmen of the party.
Anenih (Jr.)’s notice of election listed six activities, to hold between April 2 and 5, including commencement of sale of forms for chairmanship/vice and councillorship on April 2 (today), end of sale of forms on April 3, screening of aspirants on April 3, end of screening on April 4, screening appeal panel on April 4 and the party’s primaries had been fixed for April 5 this year.
Obaseki and Orbih had been at war over control of Edo PDP and harmonisation of the party’s executives from the 193 wards, 18 LGAs to the State Working Committee (SWC), in view of the June 19, 2020 defection of Edo governor from the then governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, along with his teeming supporters, ahead of the September 19, 2020 governorship election.
It was learnt yesterday in Benin that Obaseki; his deputy, Philip Shaibu; and their allies; were planning to defect to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), but Edo governor’s reaction could not be got through his Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, and the state’s Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Andrew Emwanta, as their mobile lines were not available, at press time.