Edo Guber: PDP Inaugurates 363-member Campaign Council as Obaseki Mocks Orbih’s Camp 

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Ahead of the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election in Edo State, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, inaugurated a 363-member campaign council, with Governor Goodwin Obaseki mocking the Legacy group, headed by the party’s Vice Chairman, South-South, Dan Orbih.

He expressed confidence that the governorship candidate of the PDP in the September 21 poll, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, will win with 80 per cent of the votes.

Orbih had vowed to work against Obaseki and Ighodalo. Obaseki has however hit back at Orbih’s camp, describing the faction as disorganised and a sheep without a shepherd.

The governor, who noted that the party has the best candidate and programmes for the people of Edo State, also said: “The timetable is out; can you see any of them (Legacy Group)? Can they organise themselves? PDP leads, others follow.”

Orbih, who was appointed as a member of the campaign council, rejected his membership, saying that the PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo, could not lead the state.

Obaseki, while alleging that the factional PDP members fighting in the party have collected money from opposition parties to destabilise the party in the state, however, warned such persons to stay away.

Obaseki said: “PDP is one. Those who are fighting the PDP have collected money from the other parties, and they want to sell out. I want you all here to join me so that we can flush them out of our party because we are not going to allow anybody to divide us; we are one party – one indivisible party in Edo State.

“The money they have collected is enough; let them go and enjoy it; let them go and spend it outside. We don’t have anything to fear. I will fight them if they try us; we will fight them if they try us. They know us; we never fight and lose; let them come and try. They have collected money; let them stay outside with their money, and not disturb us, because this election is ours and we are going to win by the grace of God.”

Obaseki, who further declared that the opposition has no space in Edo, boasted that the PDP has put together hardworking campaign council members who, according to him, were going to deliver 80 per cent of the total votes to the party.

“By the grace of God, this campaign council will deliver nothing less than 80 per cent of our votes.

“We can’t find them anywhere. They have no place here. They cannot destroy us at the centre and want to still come and destroy us here. We will not allow it. The hunger is too much out there; we are preventing the hunger from coming to Edo State.

“Everybody sees what is happening in Nigeria today. You can see the suffering in the land. You can see the struggle in Edo State, but we pulled Edo State out of those problems. So, our campaign is going to be based on the hope we will give our citizens in Edo State,” Obaseki added.

He explained that the structure of the campaign council was rooted in all the 192 wards and 18 local government areas across the state, adding that every organ of the party was captured.

Earlier, the state Chairman of PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, disclosed that the campaign council comprised 363 members, excluding the women and youth wings.

In his acceptance speech, the Director-General of the PDP state campaign council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, thanked the governor and PDP faithful for the opportunity to serve the party.

In his remarks, the PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo thanked the party faithful and leaders for the confidence reposed in him, adding that Governor Obaseki had laid a functional foundation in every sector that he would build upon.

Meanwhile, Obaseki has expressed confidence that Ighodalo will win with 80 per cent of the votes.

He insisted that PDP has the best governorship candidate that would continue from where he would stop.

He noted the structure of the PDP’s campaign council was rooted in all the 192 wards of the 18 local government areas with every organ of the party captured.

The governor said: “We are here to inaugurate the campaign council that will lead PDP to victory in the September 21 governorship election. The campaign is going to be based on what we have achieved, and the lives that we have touched. The campaign will also be based on the future, not the past.

“We see the suffering the people are going through. So, the campaign will be based on the hope PDP will give our people.

 “Those fighting PDP have collected money from the other political parties and I want you all present to join me to flush them out. Let them stay out, since they have collected money.”

Edo State PDP chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, informed the campaign council comprised 363 members, excluding the women and youth wings.

The Director-General of the campaign council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, thanked Obaseki and PDP members for the opportunity to serve the party. He promised to lead the PDP to victory in September.

On his part, Ighodalo thanked PDP’s leaders and others for the confidence reposed in him, stating that Obaseki had laid a functional foundation in every sector, which he would build upon.