The PDP Rescue Mission (PRM), a group of leading members of the opposition party across the country and abroad, has called on the Edo state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to sack his deputy, Mr. Philip Shaibu, the Secretary to the State Government (SGS), Mr. Osarodion Ogie, and replace them with members of the old PDP in the state if he actually means what he calls integration or harmonisation.
The group made the demand during an online press briefing by the National Coordinator, Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray, amidst the crisis in state over the recent outburst of the deputy governor that he was not a member of the PDP, as he reportedly escorted Governor Obaseki to the party.
Okpebholo Ray, an accomplished online newspaper publisher and a member of the PDP since 1998, said Obaseki cannot be asking for his men who came with him into the PDP to take up roles in an already existing party structure exco from ward to state.
“They are currently serving their tenure of four years which they were elected for in March 2020. In any case, if we are going to be talking about integration, it should have started with his running mate during the elections in 2020.
“It should also have, been reflected in his appointments which he made without consultations, appointing instead, his friends who joined him from the APC,” the group coordinator added.
According to him, “Harmonisation should only be for mergers. APC did not merge with PDP. Those who joined PDP should abide by its constitution and not change it. 90 per cent of Obaseki appointees are APC members who came with him. Is that Obaseki’s definition of harmonisation?”
Also reacting during the briefing, the Edo state Coordinator of the group, Anthony Omeiza Lawani, retired Aviation expert, also insisted that Obaseki must sack his appointed APC members and come to the leaders of the party for negotiations on how appointments would be given.
Lawani who maintained that “Only then can we talk about integration,” queried: “If he is not a PDP member, what is he doing with our ticket? He should be replaced immediately.”
On Rivers state Governor, Nyesome Wike’s attack on his Edo state counterpart, Lawani said he was not surprised as the governor was known for fighting with those who helped him.
Lawani further stated that as a group, the PDP Rescue Mission was solidly standing with the PDP National Vice Chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, and Governor Wike on the matter and called on the National Working Committee (NWC) to initiate disciplinary action against the Edo deputy governor.
