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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, has rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
On May 19, he had resigned his membership of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and promised to announce his next political move.
Speaking at a rally in Edo Central, yesterday, he said about 2,500 people moved to APC in Esan West, Esan Central, Esan North East, Esan South East and Igueben.
“About 2,500 people from Labour, PDP joined the APC on Sunday. Prior to today (Sunday), we had met, discussed and asked Governor Godwin Obaseki-led PDP government to address the issue of alienation, disillusionment and high handedness and despotic tendencies.
“Nothing has been done to address the issue, so we the “aborigine” PDP, have just given the Obaseki-led PDP a red card.”
Asked how his return to APC will help the party, Okiye said: “My movement to APC will help the party and I will be simple with my analysis.
“In a democracy, votes matter. So my exit from PDP is a minus to the party whether anybody likes to interpret other wise. If they are Democrats, they will know that at least they have lost my vote not to talk of many others that moved with me to APC.”
Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) in the state is still battling internal crisis arising from its governorship primary election, with some old members of the party allegedly planning to leave the party enmass over the way the party has been allegedly hijacked.
They said they have left the party in spirit since the primary election that brought in Olumide Akpata as the candidate of the party and the way the suspended youth leader of the party, Ken Omusi, has been treated because he tried to expressed his ill-feelings in what was happening in the party.
Omusi had about 10 days ago unilaterally announced the dissolution of the state executive of the party and was consequently suspended from the party.
Arising from the crisis in the party, it was learnt that some of the disgruntled members have gone to court to challenge the continued stay of the current executives.
“Many of us have left the party, we are just there physically, the way the primary went was not what we expected and all those who tried to ask questions were suspended from the party or forced to shut up or are arrested.
“The party is going to the election divided, it was hijacked, they painted an impression in the media as if we ran the most transparent primary election, but it is a lie. Delegates that were not for them were disqualified on the day of the primary and that is what is still manifesting today, a lot will move, many have left.”
“They are preaching the old order to us which we don’t want. Imagine our candidate is from the same local government with the outgoing governor, how can you say you want to be governor when everybody is yearning that power should shift to Edo Central? He came and schemed out every other aspirant and got the ticket”, a member of the party said.
In his reaction, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Sam Uruopa, denied the allegations, saying the crisis in the party was being influenced by outsiders. He claimed that some opposition parties were trying to weaken the party because it was heading for victory in the coming election
“Members of our party have not dragged us to court, it is the suspended youth leader that has done that, for whatever reason if anybody has grievances, the court is a good place to go for settlement but for a party patriot, there are internal mechanism for settling issues and has he exhausted all these internal mechanisms before going to court?
“So, for us we are standing resolute because the Edo governorship election is our target. All of these are all distractions from the opposition parties to sway our mind because the Labour Party is the only force to be reckoned with, it is the party to beat in Edo State so all other political parties are sponsoring different means, dissidents to cause problem in LP but we are not going to give them the opportunity to do that”, adding that those threatening to leave the party are not originally members of the party.
