- Party disowns spokesman, says he’s an interloper working with counter forces to undermine PDP
The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party in Edo State festered on Wednesday as the party rejected the outcome of the ward congresses conducted last Sunday, describing it as a “Governor Obaseki Congress” and not a “PDP Congress.”
Alleging widespread manipulation of the congress and the use of thugs to prevent supporters of nine of the ten aspirants from partaking in the exercise, the PDP in a statement on Wednesday alleged that the materials for the exercise were handed over to the governor even as state government officials were used to supervise the congress.
In a statement issued by the state publicity secretary, Ogie Vasco, the state chapter of the PDP has asked the national leadership to address the issues concerning the alleged malpractices.
The PDP said, “The leaders of the Edo State chapter of the PDP have rejected in totality the results of the purported ward congresses that took place on Sunday, February 4, 2024 across the state. The results are not a true reflection of what took place, as they only represent a Governor Godwin Obaseki Congress, not a PDP Congress.
“After a cursory overview of the whole charade put up by the state government and certain individuals in the NWC, the leaders in their wisdom have denounced the whole process as a sham marred by acute manipulation. In particular, the leaders noticed that:
“The agents of Governor Godwin Obaseki, made the stipulated venues inaccessible to the other nine aspirants and their supporters by flooding the venues with armed thugs that were hostile and intimidating, and would only grant access if an individual was going to vote for the pre-selected delegates in favour of the Governor’s aspirant. Consequently, no voting was conducted in 92% of the stipulated venues.
“The office of the National Organizing Secretary published three conflicting letters on the composition of officers in charge of the congress both at the wards and local government areas. The last letter comprised names of serving government officials in Edo and Delta States. This irregular act had earlier been communicated to the national leadership of the party by the nine aspirants so affected.
“The materials for the conduct of the purported congress had been deposited with the state governor who is an interested party in this congress, four days prior to the stipulated date. Where is the fairness the NWC has preached in the various engagements with stakeholders leading to the congress? These and other infractions observed need to be addressed properly.
“Consequently, the leadership of the party calls on all party faithful to join in the call to right the wrongs of the sham perpetrated this past weekend, and also calls for a total cancellation of the exercise.”
Party disowns spokesman, says he’s an interloper working with counter forces to undermine PDP
However, in a counter-reaction, the Edo State PDP has described Ogie Vasco a meddlesome interloper, working with counter forces to undermine the PDP.
A statement signed on Wednesday by the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Bolaji Ojebuoboh, said at no time was Vasco elected state publicity secretary of the party.
Ojebuoboh said Vasco must be disregarded and ignored.
“Our attention has been drawn to an illegal and incredibly ridiculous statement purportedly issued by one Ogie Vasco who is unlawfully parading himself as the State Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party in Edo State.
“We would have ordinarily ignored the six-paragraph divisive scribbling filled with false and baseless ramblings on the party’s recently concluded ward delegate congress which took place simultaneously across the state, but for the sake of clarity, it is important to state that the rabble-rouser is an impostor and is not known to the PDP in Edo State.
“More so, signing off the statement from an address that is not known to be the address of the Edo PDP Secretariat, further gives him out as a meddlesome interloper and an agent of destabilization, who should be ignored by all party members and other stakeholders.
“In all modesty, the recent congress, held last Sunday, stands as one of the best congresses ever organised in the recent history of the State, but Vasco would not know that as he has never participated or witnessed a congress before. It was peaceful and credible with party members electing their delegates with keen supervision of the Committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
“It is also important to clarify that the materials used for the delegate election across the State came from the 3-man Ad-hoc Ward Delegate Electoral Committee led by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and its distribution was handled at the PDP State Secretariat, hence Vasco’s claims are not only unfounded but divisive and misleading.
“If he was a genuine member of the party, he would know the location of the party secretariat and would have been able to see the materials when they came because all eligible members of the Party have access to the Secretariat, while the Delegate Committee from the Party’s National leadership was the ones in custody of the materials.
“Is it not even perplexing that some aspirants are opposed to the Congress? Were they contesting as delegates themselves? And who appointed Ogie Vasco as the spokesperson of the aspirants if not for mischief and the crumbs that may fall from the table of any of the aspirants?
“If Vasco was by any means informed, he would have known that Congress proceedings are determined by the party’s national leadership, not the aspirants. Rather than showcasing his dorkiness, he should go and study the guidelines as issued by the National Working Committee in line with the Party’s Constitution.
“We are however not surprised at the antics of Ogie Vasco and his ilk who are working with counter forces to weaken the party. We know that their game is to undermine the party in pursuit of their pecuniary interests.
“Their attempts to derail us from retaining Osadebey Avenue will not succeed. We are aware of their anti-party agenda; the same antiparty activities witnessed during the State House of Assembly election which PDP members gallantly quelled and eventually retained the maximum seats in the House.
“I want to inform Ogie Vasco and his paymasters that the same gallant party members who defeated them in the past remain resolute and united, and are surefooted and ready to batter them to submission again in the coming governorship election in the State,” Ojebuoboh stated.
The PDP chairman in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, had charged party members who were dissatisfied with the outcome of ad-hoc delegate congress to channel their grievances to the appeal panel of the party.
The party on Sunday held its ad hoc delegate’s election across 192 wards in the state to elect 593 delegates expected to vote and elect the party candidate during the party’s primary for the September 21 governorship election.
Nine aspirants of the party including the State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, had faulted the exercise; declaring it illegal.
“The National Working Committee has set up an appeal panel headed by Sen. Seriake Dickson. So, whatever grievances or issues you have, I urge you to approach the panel,” Aziegbemi had said.
He also charged them to be more circumspect in granting press interviews because the image of the party was being battered when they said negative things about the party.
