Politics

Edo Guber: PDP Leaders Canvass Ogbeide-Ihama As Division Erupts Over Zoning

Published

4 months ago

January 8, 2024

Editor

By Elvis John-Agho

A storm is brewing in the top hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over the campaign for zoning of the party’s governorship ticket in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

The campaign for the zoning of the ticket to the Edo Central Senatorial Zone which has not completed a four year term appeared to have gained traction last year and partly led Governor Godwin Obaseki to narrow his succession plan to fellow corporate player, Asue Ighodalo who is from Ewohinmi in Edo Central.

The logic was the claim that Edo South has produced two governors in Chief Lucky Igbinedion and the outgoing, Obaseki, while Edo North has produced Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Edo Central on the other hand has produced Senator Osehrienmen Osunbor whose term was, however, cut short after 20 months.

The popular agitation had been to zone the ticket to Central for equity and balance. The campaign may have partly led the outgoing governor, Obaseki to champion corporate player, Asue Ighodalo from Ewohinmi in Edo Central as his successor.

However, the argument for equity and zoning is increasingly being counterbalanced by demographics with the claim that Edo South which has 52% of the population could back another party that produces a candidate from Edo South.

The growing sentiment in Edo South has been fired by a petition from the influential Benin National Congress, BNC which last week complained to the Oba of Benin of the marginalisation of Edo South in political appointments and projects.

That sentiment, it was gathered, is making Edo Central to focus on producing the next governor of the state.

The Nigerian Tribune has meanwhile reported that party leaders who have canvassed their views on zoning among PDP governors and the National Working Committee, NWC say that it would amount to political suicide to sidetrack Edo South to give the ticket to Edo Central which has about 21% of the population.

“It would therefore be suicidal for any party to zone the governorship position to Edo Central given the lopsided voter population and especially when there is no statewide consensus on such an idea,” the newspaper quoted a party source as saying.

Obaseki, it was reported, is lobbying fellow governors that it would be fair to allow him produce his successor, a development that would also address the marginalisation of Edo Central.

However, influential political leaders mostly belonging to the Chief Dan Orbih led Legacy Coalition is believed to have countered that among party leaders on the claim that it would lead to the party losing the election.

According to the Nigerian Tribune, party leaders supportive of a candidate from Edo South are also of the view that zoning may not guarantee fairness, as according to them, the candidate who was prevailed upon to drop his ticket for Obaseki in 2020, who also hails from Edo South, Honourable Ogbeide Ihama should be considered in the forthcoming primaries.

One of the leaders said: “Our fairness, equity, and justice should start from 2020 by rewarding Honourable Ogbeide Ihama, the man who stepped down to enable us to bring in Obaseki as a candidate in 2020.

“What the leaders told him then was that he still had age on his side. Now that he has been elected twice into the House of Representatives from Oredo Constituency, he has shown as someone in tune with the grassroots and should be considered.”

Related Topics:Edo 2024 Ogbeide Ihama PDP

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Politics

Atiku Hints On Supporting Obi For 2027 Presidential Race

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that if in 2027, the party decides that it is the South-East’s turn and selects Peter Obi as its candidate, he will readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

He added that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Atiku added that members of the party would decide his fate in the 2027 general elections.

The former Vice President mentioned that his recent meeting with Obi might indicate a possible alliance leading up to the 2027 general elections.

Responding to questions about the meeting with Obi, Atiku said, “It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”

On whether this will bring about a merger, he said, “Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible, and nothing can stop it if we wish to achieve that.”

The former Vice President, who denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion, said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

On why he’s still in active politics, Atiku said, “Yes, we can’t keep quiet and watch things go wrong. People are suffering and we are committed to making Nigeria a better place.

“It means you are not tired of politics of Nigeria? Not at all. I am still in active politics in Nigeria, at least, as long as God permits.

“My age doesn’t stop the young ones from testing their fate. Everybody, irrespective of age, is allowed to aspire to be anybody in the society, politically or otherwise.”

Regarding his 2027 Presidential ambition, the former Vice President said “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.

“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.

“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”

Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections.

Obi was a PDP member until 2022, when he left to pursue his presidential ambitions with the Labour Party.

He finished third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Atiku blamed Obi’s departure from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.

Analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes combined with Obi’s 6,101,533 votes could have secured a win against Tinubu, who received 8,794,726 votes.

Monday’s meeting marked the first public interaction between Obi and Atiku since the election.

Social media and online platforms were flooded with viral photos of Obi’s meetings with the three PDP figures on Monday.

In 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the PDP ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

However, due to internal conflicts, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

3 days ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
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Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.