Cracks In Edo PDP As Orbih, Idahosa, Others Vow To Reject Obaseki’s Anointed Successor

The crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) widened on Wednesday with the emergence of a legacy coalition led by the party’s National Vice Chairman (South-south), Dan Orbih.

Naija News reports that members of the legacy coalition include a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP, Charles Idahosa; two ex-members of the House of Representatives from Edo: Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Sergius Ogun; former Edo Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Esosa Amadasun; an ex-Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Frank Okiye and a former Commissioner, Orobosa Omo-Ojo.

Others are a senatorial candidate of PDP in Edo North, Pascal Ugbmohe, and many ex-chairmen of local government councils.

Speaking at the meeting held at his residence, Dan Orbih warned Governor Godwin Obaseki against imposing a successor, stressing that the governor would not have his way ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election.

Orbih said: “The new group, Legacy Coalition, is made up of members of PDP before Obaseki joined us on June 19, 2020, some founding members of the party who earlier left, and politicians who came into PDP with Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“With last Saturday’s victory of PDP’s Senator Douye Diri in the off-season governorship election in Bayelsa State, PDP’s governorship candidate can also win the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State despite having APC’s President Bola Tinubu, through proper planning, not minding the fact that Obaseki coming into Edo PDP divided the party.

“We have realised that we have challenges in Edo PDP. We have also realised that we have our destiny in our own hands.

“The next Edo governor, through your (legacy coalition members’) support will be somebody who will not ask you to introduce yourself before he will recognise you.

“We are going to have a governor who has been part of us and will remain part of us. We want a governor who will know the challenges that we are facing as a state and people.

“One of the reasons I am no longer as frequent as I used to be in Benin City is that each time I look at what we are facing today, I bleed in my heart.

“There was a PDP that was united in love before the election of Obaseki, but he joined us and divided the party.

“With the faces here, I am convinced that the way forward for PDP to retain power is to elect somebody in this group as the next governor of Edo State.”

On his part, Idahosa said the party must communicate adequately with the national leadership.

Idahosa expressed displeasure over the face-off between Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, while condemning the decision of some PDP leaders in Edo, who opted not to condemn Obaseki’s dictatorial tendencies.