Edo PDP crisis worsens, chairman forced to step aside

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 11:11 pm

Dr. Tony Aziegbemi: Allegedly forced to step aside as Edo PDP Chairman

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The crisis rocking the Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seems to worsen by the day, as the state chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, was allegedly compelled to step aside by the state working committee of the party.

It was gathered that the committee took the decision at a meeting held on Tuesday, attended by 12 members.

His Deputy, Harrison Omagbon, was directed to step in in acting capacity, while the allegation leveled against him would be investigated and resolved.

The state working committee was also alleged to have set up a three-man committee, made up of the state auditor, woman leader and one other exco member, to investigate all the allegations leveled against the Aziegbemi.

The development is creating a serious disquiet among the party officials, as no official confirmation is forthcoming.

But, a source who was in the know of the meeting, but did not want to be named, listed the sin of the embattled chairman to include allegedly raising a false alarm to the national secretariat of the party on harmonisation of the state exco and other sundry issues.

“Actually, there was a state working committee meeting today, 12 of the exco [members] were present, and that was where they asked him to step aside.

“They then set up a three-man committee, comprising the state auditor, the woman leader and one other person.

“Now, these are the allegations against him: that he raised false alarm on the issue of harmonisation. That he was the one who suggested to the Governor [Obaseki] when they were talking about harmonization, that some local government exco be dissolved and either they conduct a fresh congress or put up a caretaker committee.

“That was when some people said no, and that if they are to dissolve exco, it should be from ward to state.

“When he knew that the thing will affect him, he then used the exco to write to the national,” the source disclosed.

Aziegnemi was also accused of collecting money, to the tune of $120,000 and another N7 million from Governor Obaseki, which he did not declare to members of the state working committee members.

“When the Governor was coming to the party, the governor said he gave him $120,000 which he did not declare to the state working committee. More so, he was reported to have collected N7 million from the Governor, which he did not declare to anybody as well.

These grave allegations could however not be verified independently from either the embattled chairman or Governor Obaseki.

Furthermore, when contacted, the state publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, told journalists on phone that he was not aware of when such decision was taken.