…Shaibu describes action madness
Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
With a wave of the hands, former Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu and the national vice chairman, South South of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih have dismissed their expulsion from the main opposition party by the State Working Committee (SWC).
Comrade Shaibu said that the action of the party amounted to the antics of a man who is punch drunk, saying that ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, it was obvious that the party was sinking.
The ex-deputy governor, who also likened the action to that of a mad man said that trading words with the leadership of the party in Edo State, is like engaging in a fisticuff with a mad man.
He charged: “Replying them is tantamount to glorifying them. No sane man will engage in a fight with a mad man. Watchers will not tell the difference. The mad action means that they are beginning to feel our punches.
“Anybody who is punched hard will feel the pains and cry. They are crying because of the impact of our body punches. I don’t want to respond to their mad decision.”
Chief Orbih, who spoke in a telephone interview insisted that the SWC has no power to expel a member of the National Working Committee, which he is.
The PDP Zonal national Vice Chairman said: “They are amusing their pay masters. They have no power to expel a member of the national committee.
“When a group of persons who are idle and have nothing to do sits down to make pronouncements that are unconstitutional, it only shows that they are ignorant of the constitution of the party.
“They don’t have any power to even suspend or expel anybody without following strictly the provision of the constitution of the party. That is all I have to say about it and nothing more.”
Citing anti-party activities, the trio of former Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, Chief Orbih and a former House of Representatives member, Dr. Omorgie Ogbeide-Ihama (Oredo) were Wednesday expelled from the main opposition party.
In a statement in Benin by the state publicity secretary, Mr. Ogie Vasco, he disclosed that the decision was taken on Tuesday at a meeting attended by nine members of the State Working Committee at the party’s secretariat in Benin City.
“The SWC has extensively deliberated on the issue and resolved to expel with immediate effect, Chief Dan Orbih, National Vice Chairman South South; Phillip Shaibu and upheld the expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama from Ward 2, Oredo LGA,” he said.
The State Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbmi who also confirmed the expulsion of the trio in a telephone interview with journalists, said they were expelled for anti-party activities.
The expulsion comes on the heels of the recent decision by Comrade Shaibu and Dr. Ogbeide-lhama to donate their governorship campaign secretariats and other facilities to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo,.
Chief Orbih may have fallen out of favour following the surprise appearance of his name as a board member of the Federal College of Education, Umunze, Anambra State which was recently announced by President Bola Tinubu.
Determined efforts to reach Dr. Ogbeide-lhama however proved futile as he refused to answer several calls put to his mobile phone.
