New Dilemma For Atiku Over Edo PDP Crisis

Concerned leaders of the PDP in Edo State are in a dilemma in unifying the party behind Atiku Abubakar following the Supreme Court judgment that gave victory to candidates endorsed by the Governor Godwin Obaseki led faction of the party in the General Election.

The concern of the leaders, GWG.ng gathered, followed the seeming quietness of the mainstream of the party led by Chief Dan Orbih, the national vice-chairman of the party, South-South to their loss at the Supreme Court.

At a closed door meeting of the Orbih led faction of the party to review the judgment at Protea Hotel last Monday, the members were said to have resolved to keep the unity of the fold and to deepen consultations on the way forward.

The following day Governor Obaseki also summoned a meeting of party leaders where the governor also called for unity among the winners and losers of the court dispute.

Governor Obaseki was, however, said to have expressed his dismay over the refusal of Chief Orbih to pick his telephone call since the court victory. It was gathered that the governor was said to have urged those present at the meeting to get Orbih to pick his call for dialogue.

However, concerned leaders of the party fear that the refusal of the Orbih led mainstream to open up on their plans is troubling the Obaseki faction given the unity of the faction.

It is especially feared that the continuing discord may impair the party during the General Election.

A party source told GWG.ng that the Orbih faction was traumatized that state government officials continue to intimidate them even after the court judgment.

“We were to meet that Monday in Chief Anenih’s Benin residence but a message came from Government House that the C of O could be revoked. A similar message was also pushed to another party official who was to host us and that was what forced us to meet at Protea Hotel,” a party insider revealed.

Members of the Orbih faction are said to be especially traumatized that after caving in to the governor that some of the leading personalities in the faction such as Rep Omoregie Ogbiede-Ihama who surrendered his governorship aspiration to Obaseki in 2020 have now been made homeless in their party.

The source said that with such inclination that the Atiku Campaign could be in a dilemma on how to unify the two major tendencies of the PDP in Edo State behind the presidential candidate.

The development it was gathered has put leaders of the party in the frontline of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign in a quandary. Among those said to be in a tight spot are Senator Ehigie Uzamere, who is a Special Adviser to Atiku and his successor in the Senate, Senator Matthew Urhohigide.

Senator Uzamere who won election as an ACN and PDP candidate is considered by some to have reaches to both sides, but there is concern that minds may have been made up following the Supreme Court judgment.

While Uzamere is believed to be working actively behind the scene to calm emotions, Senator Roland Owie, a former chief whip of the Senate from the state on Thursday appealed to party leaders and stakeholders to forgive one another in the interest of the party.

While observing his distress that a large section of the party has been left out of governance, he said:

“As a founding member and leader of the Party, I am distressed that a number of our members feel excluded from the governance process in the State. But I appeal to all and sundry to be patient and bear with the Party.  No condition, they say, is permanent” he stated.

The fear for neutral elements in the party is brought home by the threat of the Obidient Movement which party leaders on both sides fear is foreboding and waiting to take advantage of the disunity in the party.

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