Edo 2024: Unending Crises May Cost PDP Victory, Amadasun Warns

By Besiru Enakhimion.

 A leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Aisosa Amadasun, has appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki and the State House of Assembly to withdraw the impeachment notice  porportedly served on the Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu.

Amadasun, former State Woman Leader of the  All Progressives Congress, APC warned that the lingering crises, if allowed to fester, may hinder the chances of the PDP retaining Osadebey Avenue  in the upcoming September 21, 2024 Governorship election.

 Addressing journalists in Benin City, Amadasun said an impeachment against Shaibu over his ambition was unjustifiable. She, therefore, asked the lawmakers to retrace their steps as their actions were putting the state in a bad light. 

Her words: "For me, what has been happening in Edo State, especially in the last few months, is what I call kakistocracy not democracy, under the leadership of the governor.

"I'm aware that the deputy governor indicated interest to contest for Governorship. And that was when his travails and problems with the governor started. Is it because he wants to be governor? And then, all hell broke lose? For me, that is unacceptable.

"The question is, what has the Deputy Governor done to warrant impeachment? The lawmakers must realise that they were elected to represent the people, to speak the truth and not to act as an appendage to any other arm of the government or the governor.

"To me, the Deputy Governor has done nothing to warrant impeachment, this whole exercise is an embarrassment to the people of Edo State. Why must it be Edo? We have had problems with the APC, we even had problems with the State House of Assembly for years with only 10 members running the House.

"I want to appeal to the Governor and members of the State House of Assembly to retrace their steps because they have put Edo in a very bad light in the country. Leaders of the party must call the lawmakers to order, to stop the impeachment process because to me, this is more of dragging our party to the grave.

"I am appealing to them to please let peace reign in this party. The leaders should call both the governor and deputy because we are all members of the party and we want the PDP to win the forthcoming election, but with the way things are going, if something is not done urgently to curb the situation, it is going to be very difficult for the party to retain power."

On the silence of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) on the matter, Dr Amadasun said it goes to show that somehow, the leaders have comprised their integrity, in one way or the other. "Maybe they have collected money from somebody somewhere, if not,  they would have said something by now. We all belong to the same party, why not call these people and say, ‘this is becoming embarrassing?’," she asked.

"If you look at the primaries, the NWC published a list of delegates and then gave a different list to the governor. This was exactly what they did during last year's presidential primaries and that is why we are where we are today. For me, I have no confidence in the NWC. They have been part of this problem. Their silence goes to show that they are part and parcel, if not the main cause of the problems we are having in Edo."

She lamented that National Leader of the party and former Vice President and 2023 Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has failed to show leadership on the matter, saying, "If Atiku Abubakar actually showed leadership during his own election, he would  have brought the party together by appealing to the five aggrieved governors at that time.

"If he (Atiku) couldn't do it in his own election, you think he is going to do so in Edo election? I don't think so. They called him the Unifier but he was not able to unify the party in his own election, is it in Edo election that he will now unify the party? For me, he is the biggest problem of PDP in Nigeria. The NWC is also another big problem. Right now, PDP has no leadership, not just at the national level but also at the state level. Zero leadership."