Dan Orbih

By Jethro Ibileke 

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State is worsening by the day, as the factional zonal leader of the party, Dan Orbih, on Tuesday appointed a parallel caretaker committee to run the party.

Orbih also appointed caretaker committee members for Bayelsa State.

A press statement signed by the factional zonal publicity secretary, Prince Etim Isong, sighted on some social media platforms, said the decision was taken at its regular meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday, March 22, 2025.

The statement dated March 22, 2025, and titled “PDP Appoints Caretaker Committee for Bayelsa and Edo States”, said the committee’s members have three months to run the party in the two states.

According to Isong, the Caretaker Committee members for Edo State are: Nosa Ogieva, chairman; Sunny Okomayin, Deputy Chairman; Hillary Otsu, Secretary; Nosa Iseleomon, Vice Chairman, Edo South; Ehisota Oriakhi, Vice Chairman, Edo Central; and Richard Ehimigbai, Vice Chairman, Edo North.

Also appointed are Mrs Tes Sorae, Woman Leader; Benjamin Ehinlebodiaye, Treasurer; Emma Akaba, Auditor; David Okojie, Organising Secretary; Bob-Manuel Umoru, Publicity Secretary; William Umoru, Legal Adviser; Moses Izobo, Financial Secretary; and David Oreye, Youth Leader.

He said the decision to set up the caretaker committee followed the dissolution of the State working committee of both states on account of various acts of gross misconduct by the dissolved executives.

He said the executives were dissolved as a result of the breach of the party’s constitution, the poor performance and woeful outing by the party in Edo State at the last governorship election, as well as the poor handling of the internal crisis rocking the party in both states.

“The Zonal Working Committee took these decisions in the best interest of the party after a careful review of the activities of the party in both states in line with the constitution of the party as amended in 2017, particularly Articles 10 (1),(f),(g), (k), and (4) as well as Articles 26(2),(a), 27 (2)(a & b), 58 (1), (a), (c), (I), and 59 (1) (f)”, he said.

Isong opined that the bold move by the zonal working committee to set up a caretaker committee for the states would strengthen the party’s foundation and ensure effective leadership in both states, respectively.

He added that the Zonal chairman of the party equally emphasised the importance of unity and discipline within the party, just as he called on the newly appointed party leaders to foster the cohesion necessary for repositioning the party for future political success in both states.

TheNEWS recalls that the immediate past Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, had on November 8, 2024, inaugurated a ten-member caretaker committee for the party in the state.

Those inaugurated by the former Governor Obaseki are Dr Tony Aziegbemi as chairman, Harrison Omagbon as deputy chairman, Fidel Igenegbale, Chris Nehikhare, Publicity Secretary, Tony Anenih (Jr), organising secretary, Archbishop Anthony Okosun, Segun Saiki, Adezat Ibrahim, woman leader, Augustine Edosomwan, while Tenebe serve as the secretary.

In a swift reaction, the Obaseki-appointed caretaker committee, led by Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, dismissed Orbih’s claims that he had sacked the PDP Zonal Committee Excos in Bayelsa and Edo.

The Edo PDP Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, while addressing journalists in Benin, said Orbih was running the APC arm of PDP.

He added that Orbih has no authority to sack any excos, noting that his statement has no validation.

Nehikhare said: ” Only the national body of our party has the authority, the power, and constitutional power to set up caretaker committees.

“It is the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee that also organises Congresses from the ward to the state and local government to the zonal and the national convention.”

Nehikhare added that the party’s Congress has not been held, particularly in the South South zone, to unveil the new party executives.

“What we have is the Caretaker Committee in the South South zone headed by Emmanuel Ogidi and not Dan Orbih,” Nehikhare said.

He noted that Orbih is now in the APC following his unsolicited praises for the APC-led government in Edo State.