By Jethro Ibileke
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State at the weekend, sent out stern warning to members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, urging whoever is not comfortable with his leadership style to leave the party for him.
Obaseki who said this during an expanded caucus meeting of leaders and members of the party in the State, stated that he has no plan to defect from the party.
He stressed that the constitution of the party bequeaths him with the leadership of the party in the State, a position he said 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.
The Governor who berated the south-south vice chairman of the party, Mr. Dan Orbih, for allegedly saying that there is no harmonization in Edo PDP, described his statement as “irresponsible”, adding that the party is now fully harmonized.
He noted that the forthcoming local government election in the State will set the template for next year’s national and legislative elections.
According to him, “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.
“PDP in Edo State is harmonised because before we made any appointments in any ward, we made sure the party at that level was harmonised. We are gathered here now as election timetable is out; harmonisation has been done, appointments made and we are ready to win any election before us.”
He therefore urged all party members to reflect on the elections and work in unity to ensure victory in the polls.
The Edo Governor who disclosed that the National Chairman of PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, will visit the State on Thursday, 10 March 2022, urged leaders of the party to bring along five percent of newly registered members to welcome Ayu.
He noted that over 539,000 members have been registered in the ongoing e-registration exercise.
“Politics is not about fighting but dialogue and discussion. I urge us to collaborate and unite to move the party and state forward,” he charged.
“These numbers are not fabricated as we have the data, pictures, emails and phone numbers of members of the party we have registered so far. You have broken records as this is the bastion of PDP in Nigeria. We have changed the face of politics in Nigeria.”
“I didn’t give leaders any resources to mobilize them but rather they challenged themselves and achieved the goal to register more members in the State.
“Some people went around saying people should not join our party. No true party man will do that. Those that engaged in that are not true members of the party and don’t belong to Edo PDP. If not, they will not push people away from the party.”
“Our focus now is on how to engage our members, making them participate in the policy-making process of the party. We don’t need to wait for an election before we act.”
Charging detractors sponsoring disunity in the state to stop forthwith, the governor stated, “Edo is Edo, leave Edo State alone. They have tried us in battle, and have been made to know that we are battle-ready. We have been tested and trusted. We must always win elections; we must always win as a party.
The Chairman PDP Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemi, noted that “Edo State is the only state in the nation that has surpassed the 500,000 thresholds for e-registration of the party.”
Others at the meeting include the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Senator Clifford Odia, Chief Tom Ikimi, Joe Edionwele and National Youth Deputy Leader of PDP, Timothy Osadolor, among others.