Inside the politics tearing Edo PDP apart

Since Governor Godwin Obaseki, alongside his supporters, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shortly before the 2020 governorship election, the party has been neck-deep in crisis over leadership, integration and harmonisation in Edo State. 

Governor Obaseki, after he was disqualified from contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election as a sitting governor, following supremacy battle between him and the then national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, joined the PDP to pave way for him to contest the election. 

Obaseki’s joining the PDP was laced with intrigues as some members of the party, especially aspirants who saw him as a threat to their gubernatorial ambition didn’t accept him, but the sledged hammer of the national leadership of the party silenced the dissenting voices even though he was also alleged to have paid huge sums for the ticket. 

Soon after the governorship election, the crisis resurrected and the party became polarized with the slogans—New PDP and Old PDP. 

While Obaseki, alongside his deputy and supporters who defected from the APC are now referred to as the new PDP, those who received them called themselves the old PDP. 

Pundits attributed the development to lack of trust among the two groups, as the Old PDP members believed they have been sidelined from the Obaseki-led government, while the new PDP members are of the view that they have not been accepted and integrated into the party. 

Soon after the issue of harmonization of the new members into the state executive of the party became pronounced, which led to the purported suspension of Chief Dan Orbih, national vice chairman South South and the state chairman, Dr Tony Azebeimi, following his letter to the national working committee of the party…. 

The letter reads, “the genesis of this looming crisis results from the acquiescence of the National Working Committee members who negotiated Obaseki’s movement to the PDP. 

“The committee did not reach a verbal or written agreement on the integration of the new members, vis a vis, the sharing of appointments, after the elections had been won.

“We, therefore, condemn Governor Obaseki for re-appointing his former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) without any consideration for the ‘legacy PDP’ he joined.

“To this end, they have consistently sang a tune of ‘harmonisation’ ever since Obaseki was sworn in, now that he has the ‘yam and the knife’. We have resolved strongly that if any harmonisation must take place, it must start from the Governor’s office, where his Deputy Governor should resign and a deputy nominated from the old PDP is sworn in. 

“This can be a spring board for broad harmonisation across the state party organs. The proposed dissolution and, or, harmonisation are designed to hold Edo people and the PDP to ransom by the Obaseki-led administration. We will not accept this.

“We, the state PDP leadership, will not accede to any form of harmonisation that has no backing or interpretation in our party constitution,” the state PDP leadership had, last year, said in a letter to the national leadership, alleging plot by the governor to dissolve the state party’s executive.” 

The squabble delayed the appointment of commissioners and other cabinet members for over a year. 

A political observer in the state, who gave his name as Johnson, said the old PDP had always complained that the new PDP had governor, deputy governor, Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff, leaving the old PDP with nothing. 

He said the division in the party was further glaring with the appointment of commissioners in which the old PDP alleged is dominated by the new PDP. 

“Following the development, the old PDP doesn’t see itself as part of the Obaseki’s government and has decided to hold on to the structure of the party even when the governor called for harmonization.”  

He said though the new PDP made people to believe that the crisis was a fallout of non-harmonization and non-acceptance, the issue at stake is who controls the party’s structure. 

“As it stands now, the old PDP controls the party structure in the state because the state executive election was already conducted before the new PDP decamped to the party.” 

He stressed that in the event of the party’s convention, only the old PDP would be delegates, adding “that is the crux of the infighting in the party.” 

The governor had said at a party meeting that he is the leader of the party and that members of the party should accept him or resign. 

Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the crisis was further deepened with the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, complaining in a viral video that they are yet to be accepted into the PDP fold. 

In the video on social media, Shaibu cried out, saying the state PDP was yet to accept those who decamped with Governor Godwin Obaseki, including himself and Anslem Ojezua, a former State chairman of the APC. 

“Mr Governor, we followed you to the PDP. We are tired, we all agreed that anywhere you go, we will follow you; we still stand by that. Mr. Governor, we escorted you to PDP, but we are still not being accepted, that is the truth. 

“Mr. Governor, your leadership style is what has kept us this far. You have been telling us to be patient, and we believe in you. We believe that you will always take us to that promised land and it’s that perseverance that makes us to still remain in PDP. 

“We are not saying dismantle, drive everybody and accept us. We are saying create room for Anselm Ojezua and create room for us. Just like we have done in the appointment in government – we’ve created space for the old PDP that we met. They are commissioners.” 

Shortly after Shaibu’s outburst, Governor Obaseki at an expanded caucus meeting of leaders and members of the party in the state advised whoever is uncomfortable with his leadership to leave the party. 

“The constitution of the party bequeaths the leadership of the party in the state to me and it is a position which is not up for contest by anyone.   

“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,” he said. 

“There is no division in Edo PDP. PDP has fully harmonised. Let the party be open to accommodate others. PDP is democratic. The hallmark of democracy is ensuring that the majority have their way, as the minority can’t dictate to the people.” 

However, a chieftain of the PDP who craved anonymity, wondered why Obaseki, his deputy and foot soldiers are lamenting when they have taken virtually everything in the party. 

“The new PDP as they call themselves have the governor, deputy governor, SSG and Chief of staff. Also, out of the 19 commissioners, they only gave the old PDP as they call us three slots while the new PDP has 16 slots, so who is marginalising the other?” he questioned. 

Also speaking, a source within the PDP, said the crisis in the party was as a result of who controls the party structure for the 2023 general election and 2024 governorship election in the state. 

He said Shaibu’s outburst was as a result of concern about his political life and that of his followers who defected with him after 2024. 

“In Edo North Senatorial district, where he hails from, Shaibu doesn’t have control of any of the PDP structures in the area as the leadership of the party has not conceded any of its leadership positions to him. 

According to him, the PDP National Vice Chairman South-South, Chief Dan Orbih and other Old PDP chieftains and their foot soldiers have a firm grip of the zone. 

He said the same scenario is also playing out in Edo South Senatorial district, the home of Governor Obaseki but Shaibu is also carrying Obaseki’s cross, saying “I doubt if Obaseki can produce a house member in the coming House of Assembly election because the structure is not in his hand. 

As the infighting rages on, the national leadership of the party led by Sen. Iyocha Ayu stormed the state to resolve the crisis but only few of the old PDP attended the reconciliatory rally. 

Speaking during the rally, Shuaibu said the governor, and all those who decamped with him have not been accepted and reintegrated into the PDP. 

“Obaseki will only remain in PDP when his foot soldiers remain in PDP. If all of us with the way we are being treated now decide to leave, the governor will follow us. 

“Mr. Chairman, we are angry and we want you to solve this problem. If we continue with impunity, PDP is not going any where and there would be problem because wherever Edo goes is where Nigeria goes.” 

On his part, Obaseki maintained his deputy’s stance, saying he has not been accepted as the leader of the Edo PDP. 

“The only issue that can stop us is the small quarrel in Edo PDP; once you can solve the quarrel in Edo and other states, we will take over power in 2023,” he said. 

Sen. Matthew Urhogide, in solidarity with the governor during the rally, described the infighting as shenanigan of the few. 

“Mr. chairman, all the little skirmishes we are seeing are just the shenanigan of the few and we believe that very soon, they will see the reason to file behind.” 

However, Sen. Iyocha Ayu has warned members against infighting which he said made them lost Edo in 2008 to the opposition party. 

“Obaseki is not going any where, we have captured him and through him we are going to unite PDP. Let no one deceive you, Obaseki is not leaving the PDP. Once the leadership is divided, you won’t get good result.” 

However, despite Ayu’s visit, the crisis is far from being over as it has degenerated to a media war between Governor Obaseki and governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. 

As it stands now, the last is yet to be seen on the infighting between the old and new PDP in Edo, as well as an end to the crisis. (Daily Trust)