National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Osi Orbih, has declassified the “deal” between the Legacy PDP and Governor Godwin Obaseki that led to his moving to the party to contest the 2020 governorship poll on its platform.
Orbih, in a recent viral video, is heard telling associates how the decision to allow Obaseki run on the PDP platform was consummated.
He also recounted steps taken by the National Headquarters of the party to resolve the problem between the Legacy PDP and the Governor Obaseki faction of the party.
According to Orbih: “A committee was set up by the party comprising Arthur Okowa, the Governor of Delta State who is also the vice-presidential candidate (of the PDP), Govs Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Darius Ishaku of Taraba and Samuel Ortom of Benue.
“Ortom was the Chairman of the Committee. We met in the early hours of the morning, feeling that we have addressed the issue in Edo State.
“It was decided even though it was not fair to me and those Obaseki met in the party: they said Obaseki should produce 13 members of the House of Assembly; the PDP legacy should produce 11 members.
“The senatorial candidate of Edo South was agreed by the party at the national level that one should be given to Ogbeide Ihama (who had virtially emerged as the guber candidate of the party); one should be given to legacy PDP and the remaining one to Obaseki.
“The House of Representatives: 5 seats were given to legacy PDP, 4 to Obaseki.
“We agreed, came out of that meeting and we were celebrating the resolution of the problem in Edo State.
“After that meeting, it was agreed that we should meet in Benin.
“I took a flight to Benin. the Governor and the Deputy came to Benin and for the first time in the meeting, I looked at Governor Obaseki’s face and I challenged him.
“I said I have heard the stories that you said you bought the ticket of the PDP.
“I asked him: did money exchange hands between us and yourself on your coming to PDP? He said no.
“I said, but your Deputy, Philip Shuaibu, seated here, told me that you asked him to contribute $300,000 to settle the issue of your coming to PDP.
“I said Philip Shuaibu said he gave you $300,000 to add to the money to plead with myself and Ogbeide Ihama.
“I said Governor Obaseki, can you tell us whether you gave one Kobo to myself and Ogbeide Ihama? He said no and he said he did not send anybody to give us money.
“I said to Philip Shuaibu: you are seated here, did you not tell us that you gave $300,000 to Obaseki to add to the money to settle the ticket for PDP?
“And he (Phillip Shuaibu) said he did, in the presence of Obaseki; and the other Governors looked at one another and shook their heads.”
Although, it was not indicated in the viral video when sending where Orbih spoke, it was evident at the point getting referred to Okowa as vp candidate that it was a recent development.
Orbih, whose Legacy PDP has been at loggerheads with Obaseki’s faction over control of structure, was apparently recalling how the party made efforts to resolve the crisis.
Obaseki had planned to subvert the peace deal by trying to take over the entire PDP structure in the state, a move that was vehemently resisted by Orbih and other leaders and members of the Legacy PDP.
The supremacy battle had led to both factions producing their respective candidates for the National Assembly and State Assembly candidates fir the 2023 General elections.
Relying on the ruling by the court, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had recognised the primary election conducted by the Legacy PDP which its officials monitored.
The Obaseki faction had subsequently gone shopping for court orders to validate its list of candidates.
A recent Court of Appeal ruling has validated the list of the candidates of the Legacy PDP as the authentic list that INEC must recognise.
As it is, the candidates of the Orbih-led Legacy PDP are the validly-nominated candidates recognised by INEC for the 2023 General elections.
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