The Chairman of the Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dan Orbih, on Friday accused the Edo state government of sponsoring the factional primary of the party held last Thursday .
Dan Orbih gave the hint in Benin-City at a press conference while speaking on the cancellation of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium venue of the proposed factional governorship candidate’s campaign rally by the state government.
Orbih alleged that the state government canceled the usage of the stadium for the flagging off of its governorship campaign billed for Monday.
He noted that after receiving approval from the state Ministry of Sports for the usage of the stadium for the Monday flag off, they received words that the approval had been cancelled.
He disclosed that the party has found a new venue at the Baptist Convention ground in Benin, adding that “hundred of Oshiomhole cannot stop the flagging off on Monday.”
Orbih also added that the party had earlier informed Edo people about the venue and the event, while adequate arrangement and advertorials had been put across informing people of the event before they were denied usage of the stadium.
Also speaking at the leadership crisis affecting the PDP, he opined that the various judgements delivered on the matter so far, it was clear for everyone to see that Senator Ahmed Makarfi was the constitutional recognized caretaker chairman of the PDP.
He however accused the state Governor Adams Oshiomhole of sponsoring Thursday’s factional PDP primary election held in Edo State, describing the event as “a gathering of APC member, who voted for a suspended PDP member.”
In his remark, the factional governorship candidate of the party, Ize-Iyamu, however regretted the action of the Edo State government, positing that opinion poll has shown that the PDP will win the September 10 governorship election resoundingly.
He explained that 20,000 seats would be moved to the new venue of the flag off.
When contacted, Edo State Commissioner for Sports, Priestley Ediagbonya, refuted PDP’s claim that the state government denied the party use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
He said that he only received PDP’s letter dated June 28, 2016, for the use of the stadium on Friday.
Ediagbonya, who said the letter got to the registry of the Ministry of Sports on the 28th of June, said he could not look into requests made to his Ministry on Thursday as he spent the good part of the day attending a party’s function.
