Drama As PDP Suspends Chairman, Secretary In Edo

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State got messier on Tuesday as a congress called by some leaders of the party in Egor Local Government Area of the state suspended the chairman and secretary of the party in the council.

The suspended chairman and secretary of the party are Manfred Ekundayo and Moses Osarumwense respectively.

They were said to be those involved in anti-party activities which may have led to the Gov Godwin Obaseki at loggerhead with the state excos.

Addressing members at the party secretariat, Assistant Secretary of the party in local government, Ikponmwosa Eguavon, consequently announced the former deputy chairman of the PDP, Ayo Efosa, as the Acting Chairman of the party and pledged their support for Governor Godwin Obaseki.

A statement signed by eight members of the party executive including Efosa, Eguavon, Auditor of the party, Dickson Obazee, three ex-officio members Hon Paul Osaremwenda, Alhaji O. Ebomwonyi and Funmi Usiabulu including Idemudia Stanley and Ekhator Stanley who are both ward chairmen accused the suspended officials of not allowing the national leadership of the party to resolve the crisis in the PDP in the state.

They also accused them of “Extortion of money from various aspirants in the coming local government council and state house of assembly election in the local government areas.

“Suspending of ward chairmen who are not in agreement with their terms and conditions; embarrassing elected political office holders who they feel are not sufficiently funding their selfish interest”

The statement further said: “We also want to use this medium to therefore unanimously pass vote of implicit confidence on our amiable governor of Edo state, Godwin N. Obaseki, the Deputy Governor, Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, Secretary to State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. and the PDP Co-ordinator Egor local government area, Chief Odion Olaye.”