Edo 2024: PDP Stakeholders Rules Out Zoning

By Correspondent

Edo State governorship aspirants, stakeholders and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee have ruled out zoning in the forthcoming election scheduled for September 21, 2024.

This decision was taken on Thursday December 14, 2023.

The Stakeholders meeting which held at the party’s national secretariat in Wadata Plaza, was presided over by the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Damagun and resolved that the State Party Chairman, Mr Tony Aiziegbemi should have no role in the arrangement and organization of the forthcoming congress to elect delegates and the primary election.

The leaders demanded the suspension or sack of Aiziegbemi as chairman.

The NWC took the decision after listening to petitions against Aiziegbemi on his partisan role in marketing Governor Godwin Obaseki’s candidate – Mr Asue Ighodaro.

All the speakers present at the meeting, including the Deputy Governor of Edo State, unanimously agreed that Aiziegbemi has lost the trust of members and other aspirants.

The Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu referenced the video recording where Aiziegbemi was seen openly campaigning for Mr Asue Ighodalo in Edo Central and this drew the anger of leaders and denouement of Aziegbemi’s partisan action which was noted as grave concern.

As a result of complaints by leaders present at the meet, that Aziegbemi has tampered with the membership register which was announced by Aiziegbemi to have been submitted to the National Organising Secretary, the NWC affirmed the position of the party, that the directive wasn’t for Aiziegbemi to compile new registers but to continue registration from where the old registers stopped.

According to NWC, the old and existing registers were valid.

Each of the aspirants were given the opportunity to address the leaders of the party. All the speakers that spoke demanded for free, fair and transparent primary and denounced zoning to any preferred Senatorial District.

Surprisingly, the aspirants from Edo Central were angry with Godwin Obaseki over his choice of Asue.

They unequivocally said they didn’t want a stranger in PDP but that they would want to take their party back and rebuild it after the exit of Obaseki.

Hon John Yakubu; Hon Joefel Felix Akhabue; Anselm Ojezua Esq, who told the audience that he is a unitary aspirant that can heal the party, and Earl Osaro Onaiwu, that was singled out by the acting National Chairman as the person that has pressurised him for the stakeholders meeting, and some other aspirants, singled out Aiziegbemi as the culprit of the crisis that has trailed the party.

Mr. Asue Ighodalo and Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama also addressed the stakeholders.

In his remark, Ighodalo said he was in agreement with “everything that was said at the meeting”, and promised to abide with it.

Hon Ogbeide-Ihama on the other hand, reminded the NWC members of the role they played in the agreement that brought incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki as PDP candidate in 2020 and pleaded with them to abide by that agreement as permanent solution to the cisis facing the party in Edo State.

The leaders agreed to the suggestion by the acting National Chairman to emplace a small committee to finalise the decisions that were taken at the meeting.

Earlier, Obaseki pleaded with the stakeholders that he was ready to “do everything to ensure that PDP remains in Edo Government house.

Apart from two persons, everybody, who spoke blaimed Obaseki for the crisis that is demarketing the PDP in Edo State.

Aiziegbemi also asked for forgiveness for the role he has played in the crisis confronting the party.