Edo PDP Crisis: Governor Obaseki Loses, As INEC Recognizes Orbih’s Faction

By Akinwale Kasali

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has lost  out in  leadership struggle of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.  The faction of the  Vice Chairman, South-South of the Party, Dan Orbih, has been recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The Commission has recognised the candidates produced by the Orbih faction  in the Primary conducted in May.

Both factions have been at loggerheads having held different primaries that produced candidates for different elective positions.

But Electoral Umpire at its office in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Tuesday,   pasted a comprehensive list on its notice board and all the PDP candidates in the list are the ones who emerged winners at the primaries conducted by the Orbih’s faction.

INEC in the published list remarked that its action was ordered by the court.

It would be recalled that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court 5, Abuja, had in earlier judgment in the Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/808/2022 issued an order directing INEC to only accept and recognise the candidates that emerged from the Orbih faction on May 18.

INEC had written to the PDP, Edo State Chapter, insisting that it only recognised the list of candidates produced at the primary election held by the Dan Orbih’s faction in May.

 Ihama, Ogieva, Omagbon, Giwa and others had approached the Federal High Court 5, Abuja, seeking an order for INEC to only recognise the Dan Orbih-led faction of the party’s primary.

Following Justice Ekwo’s judgment, INEC in a letter dated June 27, 2022 and signed by its Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony and addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, asking the party to forward the list recognized by court to the commission.

INEC in the letter seen by SaharaReporters titled, “Notification of pending orders in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/807/2022 between Dr. Michael Onolememen & 2 Ors. V. INEC; Suit No. FHC/ABJ/808/ between Barr. Nosa Adams & 8 Prs. V. INEC and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/809/2022 between Christabel O. Ekwu & 23 Ors. V. INEC and the need to Comply with them” asked PDP to comply with the order.

The letter read, “The Commission hereby draws the attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the order of the Court arising from the three (3) suits listed above.

“In line with the order of Court, the Commission is restrained from accepting and recognizing any list of candidates other than the list containing the names of the plaintiffs as the PDP’s duly nominated candidates for the election of the seats of senators representing the senatorial zones of Edo North, Edo South and Edo Central of Edo State; the twenty-four House of Assembly constituencies across Edo State.

“Accordingly, the Commission expects the PDP to forward the nomination forms of the respective candidates as ordered by the Federal High Court, Abuja.”

The PDP had conducted parallel primaries by the factions loyal to the party’s National Vice Chairman, South South, Dan Orbih and the faction loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki at different locations across the state. But the court rejected Governor Obaseki’s faction.