Edo 2024: Orbih, Obaseki In Strange Christmas Love

It was an unprecedented show of unity at the Christmas party organized by the national vice-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Chief Dan Orbih with all six aspirants for the Edo State governorship ticket in attendance.

The annual Christmas party organised by Orbih at Ogbonna, Etsako Central LGA had in recent years, notably after the emergence of Governor Godwin Obaseki as a PDP governor, tended to be seen as a factional affair as many inclined to the governor sneaked into the party or completely stayed away.

However, in 2023 that show of factionalism was totally put away as all shades of opinion in the PDP thronged Orbih’s country home for the Christmas festivity and party..

Reflective of the unity on this occasion were traditional dance troupes from the three senatorial districts. That was perhaps symbolic of the unifying role Orbih has come to play in the Edo State chapter of the PDP especially since the demise of Chief Anthony Anenih.

The Christmas party had in the past been an opportunity for Orbih to show gratitude to God and appreciate his political base with gifts and festivity given his position as a businessman and political leader.

While the gifts were shared, the presence of all six governorship aspirants, including Asue Ighodalo, the man that has generally been touted as Obaseki’s protegee were present.

Other governorship aspirants at the occasion were Edo State deputy governor, Rt Hon Philip Shaibu, Hon Omoregie Ogbiede-Ihama, Former state chairman of APC Barrister Anselm Ojezua, former ALGON president, Dr Felix Akhabue and Prophet Dr Balogun.

They joined the throng of party officials and bigwigs that included significantly, the majority of party executives in the state who have sided with Orbih against Governor Obaseki.

Party grandees, including one time Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadhome who served as deputy governor between 1999 and 2007 was also present and paid compliments to Orbih.

Expressing his joy at the show of unity, Orbih said:

“My joy knows no bound seeing all our aspirants for the governorship ticket present here.”

Perhaps building on the unity, Orbih then took the opportunity to express the disaffection of the party with what he termed as the harsh policies of the governor and with it the decision to banish punitive music during the ensuing campaign.

“Let me use this opportunity of this Christmas party to pronounce as the chairman of the PDP south-south, and I hereby pronounce that in our campaigns either before the ticket or after you have been given the ticket, I hereby ban all punitive music in Edo State.

“In the last election, there was one music that crossed my heart, Edo must move forward, but the governor was in love with one particular music, pepper them o pepper them o.

“Today, I have banned all such music in PDP campaign because that kind of music is punitive. Little did we know that we were going to be peppered. Have you not been peppered?”

“Do you want to continue to be peppered?” To which there was a resounding chorus of No that left Asue Ighodalo, the governor’s proxy with no small discomfort.

Remarkably, a day or two after the celebrated Christmas party, Governor Obaseki who had championed the move two years earlier to suspend Orbih from the PDP visited the national vice-chairman, brining to a climax the move towards unity.

The governor was accompanied on the visit by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Deputy National Youths Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor; members of Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA); serving Commissioners and top government functionaries, amongst others.

Obaseki said, “Edo is one united indivisible entity with groups that need to look out for each other’s good and take actions to forestall and strengthen our unity. We are one group and share strong values and our values should keep us together.

“As the governor of Edo State, it is important for me to reach out to our citizens to continue to contribute to the progress and development of Edo State, and clearly you can’t talk about the politics of Nigeria and PDP without talking about the role played by National Vice Chairman PDP, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih.

“This is the time for peace and love as we are going round to meet our people because this year has been a very difficult time for us. Before politics, let’s talk to our people as politics will come at the back of it all.”

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG