Ayu warns Edo PDP to learn from Benue’s experience

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3 years ago

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, on Thursday, waned the Edo State chapter of the party to learn from the mistake the PDP made in his home state of Benue, by settling all their internal wrangling if the party must retain the state in the next round of elections.

Dr Ayu, who gave the admonition while addressing a mega rally of the PDP at the open field of the Garrick Memorial Grammar School, Ekenwan Road, Benin City, also assured that Governor Godwin Obaseki would not leave the PDP for any other party as being speculated in some quarters.

The PDP National Chairman added that the lingering crisis in the Edo State chapter of the party would soon be a thing of the past as the national leadership of the party would set up a reconciliation committee to settle the feuding factions, adding that the party could not afford to lose the state as it did in 2008 as a result of infighting among the members.

“Edo people, learn from my own state, Benue. If you fight, you will lose the election. I am going to bring a team that will settle the issue in Edo. I have been working from behind, I am happy that the Deputy Governor, Shaibu, said the truth that the leadership of the party in the state is not working. We are very close to solving the crisis in Edo.

“Once the leadership is divided you won’t get a good result. All our emphasis is on unity. We cannot talk about taking over power in 2023 if our state leadership is not on good terms,” the PP National Chairman said.

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Ayu added that Edo State “is going to produce the highest number of votes in the next general elections. We shall win all the Senatorial and House of Representatives seats. I want to assure you that by next week, all the issues in Edo PDP will be resolved. All the leaders in Edo should help to resolve the problem, not to fire it more. We will engineer the process and they will conclude the process.”

On the speculation that Governor Obaseki might dump the PP, Ayu assured: “Let no one deceive you that he (Obaseki) is leaving PDP. Nigerians will see how we will receive all those from other parties. In 2023, we shall be back in power; we have started working towards that.”

Besides, the national chairman who applauded the recent verdict of the Federal High Court which sacked Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi for defecting to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC), reiterated the determination of the party to reclaim Zamfara and Cross Rivers States, whose governors also defected to the ruling party.

Speaking at the rally, Governor Obaseki, said that only the PDP could rescue Nigeria from its current socio-economic woes, and expressed confidence that the party would produce the country’s next president.

“I want to thank you for coming with members of the National Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party. PDP is the party of Edo; PDP is in the DNA of Edo, and we do not want that to change. The deputy governor said something and I want to restate it: wherever Edo goes, Nigeria will go.

“Our chairman has what it takes to produce the next president because Nigerians are suffering too much. How can diesel be sold for over N700; you have all it takes to help us. Only PDP can rescue Nigeria from these sufferings.

“The only issue is the small quarrel in Edo PDP; once you can solve the quarrel in Edo and other states, we will take over power in 2023,” the governor noted.

Speaking earlier, the deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, said that the party was poised to win the presidency in next year’s election but for the problem ravaging it in Edo State.

The deputy governor maintained that it was on record that Edo State, which is christened the “Heartbeat of the Nation”, “has a way of directing the political road map for the nation.

“Anywhere Edo goes is where Nigeria goes. We lost Edo in 2008 because of infighting. Sir, people are saying that the governor will not leave the PDP, but he will only remain if his soldiers remain in the party. We want you to resolve this problem in our party. We have what it takes to take over the national position in the next election. Wherever Edo goes, is where Nigeria will go. If you solve the problem in Edo, you have solved the problem in Nigeria,” Shaibu urged the National Chairman.

The party’s South-South National Vice Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, the House of Representatives member (Oredo), Dr Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, and a few other top leaders of the party in the state, were, however, absent at the rally.

Speaking via phone call, Orbih said that he was “out of town” and so couldn’t make it to the rally.

Dignitaries at the event included the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Osaigbovo Iyoha; Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun and State Chairman of the PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, among others.

Former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo; Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Sen. Walid Jubril; Senator Matthew Urhoghide; Senator Clifford Odia; Chief Tom Ikimi and PDP National Women Leader, Josephine Anenih.

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