2024: Things fast falling apart in Edo PDP, 5 months to primaries

…party chieftains draw battle line

…vow never to allow another enemy occupy government house in 2024

The situation in Edo Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is no longer at ease as the once reigning party in the heartbeat of the nation is fast falling apart barely five months to its guber primary.

In this report, TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) will x-ray events of the last one week as chieftains of the party openly gave the state governor, Godwin Obaseki punches below the belt.

Immediately governor Obaseki reconciled with his deputy, Phillip Shaibu and INEC announced its timetable for primary, it became crystal clear that Edo PDP maybe heading towards extinction as the battle itself is within the confines of the party.

The structure of the party remains solidly in the hands of the chieftains who in the first place miraculously gave him a lifeline to return to Government House in 2020.

The first salvo in this renewed battle was shot by the party’s scribe, Hillary Otsu who declared that the party will field a better and more credible candidate against Obaseki’s anointed aspirant.

Otsu had said, Obaseki lacked the locus standi to pick a successor as whoever he has picked definitely will not be credible enough to deliver the state next year.

He stated further that most of the candidates fielded by the governor during the 2023 general elections were unknown, therefore leading to loses in their various constituencies.

“Legacy will nominate a Governor and Deputy of our choice, and PDP will become much stronger. Trust me, most of Gov. Obaseki’s closest political allies have echoed it that Edo State will never accept another stranger to govern its people.

“Gov. Obaseki does not have the kind of goodwill needed to promote an unknown stranger in Edo State. When Oshiomole did it with him, Oshiomole had optimal goodwill and acceptance. If Edo people are given a choice today, they will vote against any candidate that Gov. Obaseki supports,” he said.

He further explained that, “I stand to be corrected but all the candidates fielded by Gov. Obaseki during the 2023 general elections were unpopular and most voters in their various constituencies were also aware of the illegal processes which brought them.

“So many of the voters who followed all that transpired leading the emergence of Obaseki’s candidates worked and voted against them and most PDP supporters opted to work against the illegal candidates by supporting other candidates.

“That’s why you see that in many places they gave support to APC candidates and in some, to Labour candidates, leading to unprecedented victories for those parties. For example PDP has never lost Edo Central and South Senatorial seats before, while a Labour candidate swept the Edo South Senate seat, after leaving PDP for Labour just a few months to the election.”

Barely 24hours after Otsu fired that missile, the image maker of the party, Vasco Ogie placed all guber aspirants on alert noting that the party was set to conduct a credible primary devoid of any rancour.

In the statement he issued on Friday Ogie painted Obaseki in a picture that depicts a man who cannot be relied on as equity, fairness and justice are alien to him.

He equally warned that nobody should be deceived as the governor does not have any legal authority to swear-in a governor as this is the sole right of the state’s Chief Judge.

A party chieftain who spoke to TNG who is privy to most of the recent developments in the party said” Obaseki declared himself an enemy to those who offered him shelter when he was being beaten by heavy rain.

“We never knew he was a friendly fox who will bare his fangs once given the privilege. We are all regretting it as this will be the last time PDP will give an enemy such a rare opportunity.

“If we had abandoned him then, what would have been his fate, it’s a sad commentary but since he has drawn the battle line, we are equally ready to show him ‘sege’ renewed”.

“Five months to our primary is just around the corner, we will prove to him that khaki no be leather.