Factions of Edo PDP squabble over replacement of dead South-South Exco member

From Tony Osauzo, Benin

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been enmeshed in fresh disagreement, reviving the old rivalry between two factions of the party.

The cause of the fresh disagreement is the Obaseki’s faction rejection the replacement of late Samson Abu as a member of the South-South Zonal Executive of the party.

According to a letter by the state Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi to the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Umar Damagum, the replacement was done without recourse to the leadership of the party in the state and the leader of the party, Gov Godwin Obaseki.

The letter dated October 13th 2023 described the action as a “very disturbing development that is capable of bringing our party in the State to ridicule.”

Aziegbemi said the party was yet to recover from the shock of the death of Abu and was still planning to put in place a welfare package for his family with support from Obaseki when they got the information that the Zonal Executive Committee has announced a replacement “for the position without recourse to the State Executive Committee, the State Working Committee nor the Leader of the Party, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“This is disrespectful to the Party at the State and a show of insensitivity to the memory of our late Samson Abu who served the party meritoriously. Let it be placed on record that the Zonal Executive Committee has not deemed it necessary to send a delegation to commiserate with the State Chapter and Family of the deceased.

“I have the mandate of the Edo State PDP State Working Committee to inform you that the purported nomination and swearing-in of one Idehen Ebonwonyi as the replacement of late Samson Abu in the South South Zonal Executive Committee is unacceptable and hereby rejected. The State Working Committee after wide consultation will nominate a name from the Local Government concerned to the Zonal Executive Committee for ratification by the National Working Committee under your leadership”, the letter said.

Recall that Samson Abu died on May 21st 2023 and has since been buried. It was however learnt that Idehen Ebonwonyi who is a member of the Legacy Group faction of the party loyal to the South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, has been sworn in as his replacement.