Edo 2020: Igbinedion Emerges From The Cold

Former Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State is emerging as a rallying point for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State as the party pushes to define the narrative in the forthcoming governorship election.

Dismissed in the past as a failed leader, PDP leaders are, however, putting a new narrative after 15 straight years out of power with the All Progressives Congress, APC and its legacy party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN being in power.

Comparative analysis the Igbinedion era is being reckoned in better light in recent times especially given his administration’s efforts in rural development.

Igbinedion who had in the past kept away from the party hosted party leaders to a meeting in his Benin residence last month where the issue of zoning was resolved.

He also presided over a meeting of party elders in Abuja earlier this month where the alleged crisis following the reported suspension of some party elder was effectively addressed.

Senior party insiders at the two meetings reported him as being confident and playing a unifying role for all the major tendencies in the party.

“You know time heals wounds and many of those issues that people had misgivings with him have healed with time,” a prominent party official told GWG.

Another member of the State Executive Committee, SEC also told GWG how the news of Igbinedion’s return to the party is being received with gladness in the rural areas.

“Yes I agree with you that he may not be popular in the urban areas but I can assure you that in the rural areas of Edo State he is our secret weapon,” the party official said.

“Igbinedion as governor brought much development to the rural areas in a way that no one has done until now. The REB (Rural Electricity Board) was used to bring light to many rural areas and it is because of that party members at the grassroots are really excited because of his involvement in party affairs,” the official said.

“I can confirm to you that party members in the rural areas are excited and are telling us that they are glad with the news of his involvement in party activities,” the official said.

Following the end of his two year term and his behind the scene role in the enthronement of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as governor on the platform of the ACN, Igbinedion fell out of favour with the PDP leadership as led by the late Chief Anthony Anenih.

However, with the death of Anenih and the search for a rallying point, Igbinedion has emerged and party sources say that he is being generally accepted by all major tendencies in the party.

The emergence of Igbinedion is being further canvassed by claims of a vacuum arising from the imminent stepping down of Chief Dan Orbih as chairman of the State Executive Committee. Orbih as chairman is credited with giving robust leadership to the PDP in Edo State providing a leadership that constantly kept the Adams Oshiomhole and lately the Godwin Obaseki administrations on their toes. The PDP under Orbih bested the APC in the 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections but lost out in the State House of Assembly election.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG