Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
In a seismic upheaval that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Edo State, the People’s Democratic Party is facing a crisis of unprecedented proportions as over 200 leaders and 7000 followers have tendered their resignation letters within the span of a week.
This mass exodus, which shows no signs of abating, has left the party reeling and its future hanging in the balance.
The turmoil within the Edo PDP came to a head during an emergency meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC) held at the party’s state Secretariat on Airport Road in Benin City.
The meeting, attended by nine members of the SWC including State Chairman Dr. Tony Aziegbemhi, saw dejected party officials deliberating on the wave of defections by prominent leaders and members of the party.
Sources privy to the proceedings revealed that the SWC members were allegedly tasked by Governor Godwin Obaseki to level anti-party charges against several PDP chieftains in the state.
After extensive deliberations, the SWC made the controversial decision to expel Chief Dan Orbih, the National Vice Chairman South-South, for accepting an appointment from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Chairman of a federal tertiary institution’s Governing Council.
Additionally, Rt. Hon. Phillip Shaibu was expelled for supporting Senator Monday Okpebholo by donating his campaign office and fleets of vehicles, while the expulsion of Rt. Hon. Ogbeide Ihama from Ward 2, Oredo Local Government Area was upheld for similar reasons.
The explosive developments reverberated throughout the party and were later confirmed by Mr. Ogie Vasco, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, through social media platforms, further fueling the chaos engulfing the Edo PDP.
The unprecedented wave of resignations and expulsions has thrown the party and its leadership into disarray, with incumbent Governor Obaseki and gubernatorial candidate Asue Ighodalo now facing a crisis of monumental proportions.
The rapid erosion of support and internal cohesion has left the PDP struggling to maintain its political foothold in the state, raising questions about the stability of Obaseki’s administration and Ighodalo’s electoral prospects.
As the Edo PDP grapples with this existential challenge, the coming days will be crucial in determining the party’s trajectory and the fate of its key figures.
The fallout from the mass resignations and expulsions threatens to reshape the political landscape of Edo State, signaling a watershed moment for the embattled party and its aspirations for the future.
