‘You’re Disorganised’, Edo PDP Blasts APC

‘You’re Disorganised’, Edo PDP Blasts APC

POLITICS DIGEST – The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday has described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state as a disorganised party.

This is coming as a faction of the ruling APC in the state has formally announced the suspension of the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

Also suspended along with the governor, were his deputy, Philip Shaibu and Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie.

But reacting to the gale of suspensions rocking the APC in the state, the PDP state chairman, Mr. Dan Orbih said it is only in APC that a national chairman, the state chairman and the secretary would be suspended in one day.

Addressing journalists in Benin, Orbih wondered how a disorganised party like APC can rule the state and be expected to restore law and order.

Responding to the allegation that Obaseki gave PDP, N6 billion to enable him to defect to the PDP, Orbih said “Governor Obaseki has no business giving anybody money to join the PDP. If he has N6 billion to join PDP, I will advise him to spend that money to address the problems of the state.”

“We don’t need any money from anybody to join our party. Our party is open to all those who are interested in joining us as member including Governor Obaseki. I know very well that the problem facing his government is that they don’t have a proper party structure. I see APC as a disorganised party in Edo State.

“We have heard that they have suspended the state chairman, Ojezua and another report said that the new chairman, Col. David Imoise was not properly elected. The truth is that you cannot put the state in the hand of people who cannot manage themselves.”

Speaking on the defection of Pastor Ize-Iyamu from the party, Orbih said as far as PDP is concerned in Edo State it remains one indivisible family.

“I have with me here, party chairmen from all the 18 Local Government Areas in the state. No one has been suspended. The exit of anyone can not affect the fortune of PDP in Edo State.

“A few years ago when he (Ize-Iyamu) left APC, he said he was coming home. Now, we also read that he said he was going home when he was reported to have defected to APC. I’m saying that if he has decided to leave, he has not officially informed us that he is leaving for APC.

“PDP is intact in Edo. The departure of one man will not affect our fortune in the state. Within the party all is well. We are aware that the ruling party is in crisis. In Edo PDP, we know how to manage ourselves, no one has been suspended among us, in this gathering,” he said.

He condemned the three-year rule of Obaseki in the state. Orbih said that Obaseki’s government has added to the hardship of the people through his various programmes.

“I think no one should blame PDP for the woes of the people again in the state because APC has been in charge of the state for almost 12 years now and there has been no improvement in the lives of the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, a faction of the APC in the state yesterday, announced the suspension of the state governor, Obaseki, from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

Also suspended along with the governor, were his deputy, Philip Shaibu and Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie.

Addressing party members in Benin City, a former member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Ikhariale, who spoke on behalf of party leaders and members across the state, reeled out a litany of wrong-doing against the Obaseki’s administration, saying that the governor has deviated from the APC manefesto.

Among the many sins of Obaseki, Ikhariale stated is governor’s obnobbing with the opposition PDP, divisive tendencies, operating an illegally constituted house of assembly among others.

The Leaders, therefore, apologised to Edo people for Obaseki’s alleged maladministration.

“Governor Obaseki, His Deputy,Phillip Shuaibu, Anslem Ojezua and Osarodion Ogie (SSG) from available information from top Leaders of the PDP, have concluded plans to defect from the APC and seek re-election on that platform.

“As part of the negotiations the Governor has agreed to pay to the opposition party the sum of N6 billion of which some leaders of the party ( PDP) have received from him the sum of N3 billion . The balance is to be paid as soon as the governor secures the party’s ticket or formally defect as he is likely to do in the few weeks.

“In fact , this is why the rumblings in the PDP leading to the suspension of those leaders involved by a group known as the integrity group in the PDP‎. It is therefore not surprising that the Governor is working tirelessly to destroy the APC in the state.

“Consequently, we hereby suspend Governor Godwin Obaseki, Hon Phillip Shaibu and Osarodion Ogie from the party for anti-party activities and urge the National Working Committee to set the machinery in motion for further disciplinary action against them.

Reacting to the development however, Special Adviser‎ to governor Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said Obaseki remained focused in governing the state, saying that those who took the decision have no right to do so.

“What they did is not known to the party. Firstly, some members in that meeting which was held in house of an individual is not a party meeting, they should have held the meeting in the party secretariat if it was real.

“Some of them have been suspended from the party so they do not have the right to do what they did”.

“Today, a leadership meeting of the party was held where the suspension of the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, was ratified. But Governor Obaseki remain focused in governing the state”, Osagie said.

However, in a separate press conference in Abuja, the Edo State APC Working Committee, loyal to Oshiomhole, has also suspended Obaseki, his deputy, Phillip Shaibu and the SSG from the party.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the factional Chairman of the party, Col. David Imuse (rtd) said that the recent events in the state are geared towards weakening the party to win the forthcoming governorship election.

He described the purported suspension of Mr. Lawrence Okah and his subsequent removal from office as nullity, and therefore passed a vote of confidence on him, while also insisting that he remains the State secretary of the party.

Imuse said the party note with grave concern a resolution by an unknown organ of APC in Edo State claiming to have passed a vote of no confidence on Oshiomhole and suspending him from the party.

He described their decision unconstitutional and unheard of, for a lower level party hierarchy official to want to take disciplinary action against an official or organ on a higher level.