Edo 2024: Wike, Orbih, Others Lay Ambush for Obaseki

Minister of the Federal Capi- tal Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, and Vice Chairman (South-South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, are waiting to extract their own pound of flesh from Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, in next month’s governorship primaries of the party. The Independent Nation- al Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed September this year for the end of term governorship election in Edo State. Wike, then governor of Rivers State, and Orbih played key roles in Obaseki’s emergence as PDP candidate, as well as ensured that he won the 2020 Edo governorship election despite stiff opposition from the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by its then Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Obaseki, who was disqualified by the APC from participating in its primary election, went to the PDP, where he was accommodated and allowed to run on the party’s platform. He even admitted that PDP saved his political career. But no sooner had he secured his second term than he turned his back on the people that assisted him. Wike had in 2022 accused Obaseki of ingratitude and betrayal, adding: “If you check the DNA of Obaseki, what you will see in that DNA is betrayal, serial betrayal, and ungratefulness.” The governor was accused of breaching the agreement he reached with PDP lead- ers in Edo State before he was given the party’s ticket. His relationship with Orbih went sour over the control of PDP structure.

The party’s structure in Edo State is at moment factionalised between him and Orbih. In the last general elections, Obaseki’s preferred candidates emerged as PDP flag bearers in the National and state Assembly elections, but the party performed abysmally poor in the elections. Out of the three senatorial seats in Edo State, the APC won two, Labour Party (LP) won one while the PDP was left with nothing. It won paltry two out of nine House of Representatives seats. The party’s only consolatory prize in last year’s general elections was in the March 18 House of Assembly elections, where it secured 50 per cent of the seats.

of interest form this week, and those who scaled through will go for the nomination form. But a source at the party’s headquarters said it un- likely Ighodalo would be disqualified.

“Even if he does not spend the minimum period as a member by the constitution, the NWC can grant him waiver, and let the delegates decide who be- comes the candidate. It will not be healthy to create crisis in the party this time. Waiver is the prerogative of the NWC on behalf of NEC (National Executive Committee).” It is not clear who Wike and Orbih are supporting. Another source however claimed they are supporting Shaibu, with Ogbeide- Ihama as running mate.