Edo speaker, Okiye, 6 others defect to PDP

Tony Osauzo, and  Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Speaker,  Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Abumere Okiye and six other members, yesterday,on the floor of the House formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Announcing the defection at plenary, Okiye said he had received letters from the six members, including his own, expressing the desire to defect to the PDP so as to identify with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s aspiration of moving the state forward.

Those who defected with Okiye are Asoro Osadebamwen Roland, Aluebhosele Ephraim, Ojiezele Osezua Sunday, Okhuarobor Henry, Okoduwa Emma and Marcus Onobun.

He hinged that their action was based on alleged sharp divisions and factions in the APC in the state saying the move would  enable them perform their duties effectively as representatives of their constituencies.

The 24-member House was elected on the platform of the APC, but only nine members were  inaugurated  on June 17, 2019, when Governor Obaseki issued the proclamation for the House to convene.

Following crisis which engulfed the APC, Governor Obaseki himself defected to the PDP when he failed to secure the party’s ticket, while the remaining 14 members-elect were on August 6, 2020, inaugurated.

Meanwhile, seven of the candidates  who participated in the September 19 Edo State governorship election, yesterday, said, they may take legal actions against Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the  PDP, who emerged as winner of the poll, due to some abnormalities.

At a press conference in Benin, yesterday, the candidates who spoke on the platform of Edo 2020 Governorship Candidates Forum, through its spokesperson, Bishop Akhalamhe, said:  “We are positive that the election was near perfection, though some of the candidates are making arrangements to file their cases in the tribunal resulting from some observed abnormalities in the conduct of the election, and the forum supports them in order to deepen our democracy. Filling a collective suit is also in consideration by this forum, and we may fill our suit soonest.”