Suspense In Edo As Orbih Links Up With Obaseki’s Former Friends Against Gov’s Succession Plan

Governor Godwin Obaseki’s plans for an independent succession plan in Edo State is to be challenged from within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP following the merger of forces between two powerful blocs within the state chapter of the PDP.

GWG.ng reports that the signal for the emerging battle was given when former associates of Obaseki’s who came into the PDP with him in 2020 from the All Progressives Congress, APC met with the legacy PDP in Benin.

The meeting was hosted by Chief Orbih where the party chiefs almost with one voice vowed to derail what many assume to be Obaseki’s succession plan.

It was also an opportunity for Orbih, the national vice-chairman, South-South, to rebuff rumours of his political indifference or plan to leave the party for another party.

It would be recalled that Obaseki emerged triumphant over the Orbih led Legacy Group in the bruising court battle to nominate candidates for the 2023 General Election. Whether on account of the bruises of the battle or for whatever reasons, the Edo PDP as led by Obaseki was nearly extinguished in the elections bringing forth its worst performance in a National Assembly or presidential election since 1999.

The poor showing according to some flowed from the decision of the Orbih tendency which has the grassroots support to keep its distance from the candidates brought forth by Obaseki.

The loud silence of Orbih had also given the impression that he was set to also defect from the PDP following in the path of Senator Matthew Urhoghide, the man who is famous for being one of the earliest canvassers for Obaseki to join the PDP three years ago.

Urhoghide after he was denied a Senate return ticket by the Obaseki led PDP last year shocked many by defecting from the PDP back to the APC.

At the meeting at Orbih’s house were other former strong loyalists of Obaseki’s foremost of whom was Chief Charles Idahosa, who served as political adviser to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole but broke ranks with him to back Obaseki in the fight between governor and former governor over the 2020 succession battle.

Also present was formidable former APC woman leader, Mrs Aisosa Amadasu, who like Idahosa left the APC in solidarity with Obaseki.

However, last weekend she joined the song of lamentation and the harmonization of forces.

The legacy PDP was also present in full force with members of the State Executive Committee, former commissioner for transport, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, former members of the House of Representatives, nine former local government chairmen under the Obaseki administration, among others.

Speaking before the meeting went into closed door for a strategic consultations, Orbih threw down the gauntlet with a declaration that the new group known as Legacy-Coalition would determine the candidate of the party.

He said:

“Our ticket is not for sale. We will nominate one, who will know us, who will know Edo State, who will know the problems of Edo State who will solve the problems of Edo State.

“As I stand before you, I want to reassure you that my commitment is to see the re-election of a PDP governor in Edo State. A governor that will emerge through your support.

“As the national vice-chairman of this party to declare to you that the next governorship candidate of this party will not be for the highest bidder. We cannot make a mistake again. For me, I am a party man.”

Noting the insinuations that had recently trailed his political trajectory, Orbih said:

“For the past weeks people have been talking. Some will say, Orbih is going to APC, some will say, is he still with us? I stand before you to declare that I remain PDP and PDP is synonymous with Dan Orbih. We are going nowhere. The battle before us we will fight it within PDP. We must rise up to the challenges facing us. People must learn to keep to their promises.”

“When the governor was thrown out of APC and we had the opportunity, I was one of those that was asked, where do you think we should go? I told them, please I think we should go to PDP because even while APC was in power, PDP was a very strong party in Edo State,” Mrs Amadasun said to an applause, saying, she was one of the happiest persons in Edo State at that time.

Another party chief, Hon. Austin Okoibole, a former chairman of Esan North East lamenting the situation of the PDP in the state said: “You cannot afford to provide accommodation for somebody and he will now want to drive you away from the house. This is what the PDP did in providing shelter for the governor and he is now a problem for the house,” he said adding that those who thought they were right in bringing in the governor have been told that they do not matter again.

Charles Idahosa in his comments said that while his troops were with the Legacy PDP, he nevertheless expressed concern that they would not be taken on another roller-coaster.

GWG.ng reports that with the decision of the former friends of Obaseki to join forces with his old enemies in the Legacy PDP who accommodated him the battle for succession in Edo may well be set.

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