The National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South, Dan Orbit, has clarified that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, is not the problem of the party.
Naija News reports that Orbih emphasized that the real challenge facing the PDP is the entrenched interests of those who contest every presidential election without adhering to the provisions of the PDP constitution.
Orbih, who also leads the PDP Legacy Group in Edo, made these remarks during the official handover of the new PDP secretariat, which he donated to the party, on Wednesday in Benin.
He called on the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Iliya Damagun, to initiate congresses that would bring in new leadership capable of repositioning the party and restoring its lost glory.
Orbih stressed the importance of addressing the challenges within the party rather than ignoring or glossing over them.
“PDP is a strong and formidable party, but it still has challenges that we cannot afford to ignore or sweep under the carpet. Wike is not the party’s problem. The real issue is those who want to run every time without following the party’s constitutional guidelines,” he said.
Orbih urged party members to put aside their differences and work with sincere individuals to rebuild the PDP for future political battles.
He also dismissed the notion that the PDP was finished, asserting, “People are mocking the PDP and asking where we are, but I tell you today, the PDP in Edo is fully back.”
He went on to describe how the Edo PDP had become “homeless” after being evicted from its former secretariat in January, which led to frustration and disappointment among party members.
Orbih noted that after the eviction, he made a promise to donate a new secretariat for the party, a promise he fulfilled by donating the new PDP secretariat in Edo.
“Today marks a new chapter. We celebrate the official opening of a befitting PDP state secretariat, putting an end to being labeled homeless,” he added.
Orbih also addressed the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, warning members to stop issuing statements on behalf of the party.
He made it clear that the members of the committee were not recognized by the PDP constitution and would no longer represent the party after allegedly working to undermine it.
“I look back and feel deeply saddened by the current state of our party, which once had two senators and a House of Representatives majority in the state,” Orbih lamented. “Today, PDP has no senator, only one House representative member, and we have lost the governorship to the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
In his capacity as the National Vice Chairman for South-South, Orbih declared that those parading as members of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee had no legitimacy or authority.
“From this day forward, we will not acknowledge any statements unless they come from those who will be managing PDP in Edo,” he concluded.
