Don’t do anything that will force Obaseki out of PDP, chieftains tell members

As crisis continues to rock the Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), some chieftains of the party in Edo South Senatorial District have advised members against doing anything that will compel the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to take drastic action that could possibly put the party in danger.

The chieftains, who made the call during an enlarged meeting of Oredo Ward 1, Benin City on Wednesday, also dismissed speculations that the governor had perfected plans to dump the party.

The party chieftains, who include Goodluck Ehirobo, Samson Abu, Okpamen Edosa, coordinator of Obaseki Solidarity Movement, Matilda Anazie, Women Leader in Ward 1, and Ade Smart, former councillor of the ward, urged all members of the party in the state to join hands with the governor to build a stronger PDP.

In his remarks, Goodluck Ehirobo, who is one of the founding members of PDP in Oredo Local Government Area, appealed to the party faithful across the three senatorial district in the state not to do anything that would warrant the state governor to take drastic decision that would be detrimental to the party and members.

According to Ehirobo, we do not want him (Obaseki) to take another decision because if he does, it will be detrimental to all of us.

“If you want to have it all, you will lose it all. The reason why PDP has not always been winning in the past is because some leaders do not want anybody to be like them.

“When you join them, they feel threatened. Politics is a game of numbers. I want people to join us so that we can win. We have put our hands on the plough and we are not looking back,” he said.

Also speaking, Samson Abu opined that the governor of the state cannot be a mere spectator in affairs of his party, hence the need for members to embrace ongoing integration and harmonisation in the party structure.

Abu noted that in line with the PDP constitution, the governor was the leader of PDP in Edo State, but however warned that “the quietness of a lion doesn’t symbolise signs of weakness.

“People are saying that the governor has not shared position. Is it not when there is peace that you can share positions?

“The governor had proposed measures to harmonise, but some people opposed the move. Therefore, if the appointment is not made, the governor is not the cause.

“I want to assure you all that the governor remains in PDP and he is not going anywhere.”

Earlier, Okpamen Edosa said the peace meeting became necessary to reaffirm their support for the governor and build bridges across troubled water while the PDP Women Leader in Ward 1, Matilda Anazie and a former councillor in the ward, Ade Smart, reaffirmed that there was no faction in the party.