Faced with mass defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), concerned party leaders from Edo Central senatorial district have deplored the failure of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the party chairman, Chief Dan Orbih to resolve their lingering feud.
They said the development was leading to a new political configuration in Esanland which has been the stronghold of PDP.
The late Chief Tony Anenih had firmly rooted the party in his base, a firmness seemed to be falling like a pack of cards since Obaseki and Orbih parted ways.
Among those, who expressed concerns over the happenings in the party are the cice chairman in the council, Chief Ebosele Iyere, Dr Eigbiremonlen Ebosele, Mr. Timothy Eimuhi, Victor Egogo, Dr Rotimi and
In his reaction to the crisis, Ebosele warned that it cannot lead the party to victory in the general election which was just a few months from now, adding that both the Governor and Orbih were playing politics with ‘our emotions.’
He said the APC was now a better alternative for him since the emergence of Monday Okpebholo as the APC senatorial candidate. According to him, “members of our ward in Ward 4, Eidenu-Irrua took the decision to support Okpebholo in APC against PDP because the two factional candidates were the same old names that were part of our sad history since 1999 when we started this politics here.”
In Esan Central local government area, Ward 7 and Ward 8, in Ewu, Chief Godday Okole popularly known as “Talknado” led a tumultuous group of PDP supporters to decamp to APC.
He called on PDP members in the country to support southern presidency for the sake of peace, justice and democracy. The defection ceremony at Ward 4, Illeh Ekpoma, Esan West local government area was more emotional. Chief Oselumen Ogah, who led over 2,000 members stated that they were traditional farmers in Ekpoma.
He regretted that for many years now, they are not able to go to farms because of insecurity and that has been responsible for the absence of Ekpoma rice in the country.
“We want to vote for APC so that these kidnappers will leave our bushes so we can return to our farmlands. Nobody hears of Ekpoma rice again because these killer herdsmen have taken over our forests.”
“We also believe that power should rotate between North and South. Since PDP refused to allow the next president to emerge from the South, we are dumping the party. What happened in PDP was a mere selfish game for a few individuals,” he said.
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