There have been questions from several quarters as to which faction the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, belongs to.
The PDP in the state has been factionalised viz: the Dan Orbih, the National Vice Chairman, South-South’s faction and that of the governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s . Both factions have been in supremacy battle on who should be in control of the party structure in the state. While Obaseki’s faction wanted harmonisation, that is, accepting those that defected with him from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP in the state in 2020, into key positions of the state executive, the Orbih’s faction is standing the ground that the status quo should be maintained, hence comprising old members (Orbih’s) and new members (Obaseki’s) of the PDP in the state. A factionalised PDP in the state had, on several occasions, resulted in the two different factions ‘running shows’ separately in the state. A recent event in the state was the parallel primaries held by the two factions in which candidates were elected to contest the forthcoming 2023 elections in different categories.
Consequently, as the two factions engage themselves in the public glare, questions have been raised of which faction the man in the helm of affairs of the party in the state, Dr. Aziegbemi belongs to. Some also argued that the party chairman’s silence is no longer golden.
But many have forgotten that in the Africa setting, no elderly will be happy while his home is in disarray. And no father will take sides when two of his children or younger’s are in disagreement. As chairman of the party, Dr. Aziegbemi cannot afford to watch his house (Edo PDP) in disarray, neither is he interested in fighting against any of the factions. The state PDP chairman is working round the clock to ensure that the party crisis is resolved with a view to retaining Osadebe Avenue in the 2024 governorship election in the state.
Before the coming of Dr. Aziegbemi as the chairman of the PDP in the state, the party had been out of power for good 12 years in the state but, Aziegbemi, during his campaign, he promised that if elected as chairman of the party, he would ensure he returns the umbrella party to Government House and it came to pass.
Getting the PDP back to Edo State Government after 12 years is a dream come true, hence it will be unwise for the chairman to join any of the factions in the fight. He is rather interested in both factions sheathing their sword with a view to having one PDP in the state.