The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now beset with in-fighting and division due to the stance of Governor Godwin Obaseki against members allegedly against his leadership.
This was as a group within the party, the PDP Defenders Forum, slammed the Governor over threats issued to dissatisfied party members regarding his leadership style.
The group in a statement issued by its coordinator Ken Ekpe, on Wednesday lamented the attitude of the governor and his supporters to those who were members of the party before they joined, and charged the governor to take his government and leave the party alone.
“It should shock Governor Obaseki that the anthem in the Edo State Chapter of the PDP today is that he should take his government and leave our party alone. The handouts he is giving are not enough for us to mortgage our collective interest in a strong and united party that has won plaudits across the nation for having been the most vibrant opposition party in the days of yore,” Ekpe said.
The group further accused Governor Obaseki of scheming to take over the party with “his fellow APC travellers to harmonise what he did not bring to birth.”
“First we want to affirm that we are ignorant of any harmonized PDP in Edo State given the fact that PDP executives can only emerge according to the constitution of our great party from elections. These elections were done before Governor Obaseki joined us and he cannot sit in his office with his fellow former APC travelers to harmonise what he did not bring to birth.”
“Second, we have heard and read the governor repeatedly claim that he is leader of the party merely because he is governor. Yes, while we revere our governors as leaders, we say that this is not a constitutional fact and it is not assumed by force. For more than one year we have seen how Governor Obaseki and his erstwhile APC enforcers have ridden roughshod over our party as he and his ex-APC have not added any value to our brand, but rather fought vainly to divide us, but to no avail.
“We thus challenge him and his emissaries to quote the specific section of the Constitution that has made him the leader of the party in Edo State.
“On the basis of that, the great majority of party members who have refused his plans to forcefully restructure our executives at all levels serve him the notice that we are not leaving our party for him.”
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Obaseki had said whoever is not happy with his leadership should leave the party.
“Anybody that cannot accept my leadership of PDP in Edo State will leave PDP for us. It’s as simple as that and we don’t like to boast. We don’t talk too much, but you know where we are coming from.
“And whoever is backing any group outside Edo State, I’m pleading, leave Edo alone. Edo is not like any other state.
“So whatever it is, let’s all come as one family, sit down and have a conversation and let’s agree where we want to go. They’ve tried all sorts, and I said ‘look, we’re battle-tested but we’re not battle weary.
“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 harmonised in the state.”
