Our party’s primaries will still hold as scheduled and Governor Godwin Obaseki’s name will be on the ballot papers, Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted.
Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Anthony Aziegbemi made this assertion in a television interview monitored in Lagos by The DEFENDER during which he explained that his decision is, however, subject to legal advice over the court order.
Also the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike who had earlier given his word and assurances of support to Obaseki, suddenly decided to pull out of the reconciliation efforts of the PDP in Edo State.
The governor disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Tuesday.
According to Wike, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP are sycophants and tax collectors who will never tell the truth.
The governor alleged that instead of the NWC to carry everybody along in Edo, they resorted to using the media to blackmail him.
“I told them that in Edo State, we must handle the issue carefully and carry everybody along. They must respect human beings and not behave like tax collectors.
“They said because an order was obtained from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, then I am responsible.
“I have had sleepless nights to resolve the issue in Edo state. The Governors of Edo, Adamawa, and Delta states know what I have done to resolve the issues in Edo State,” he said.
Speaking further, Governor Wike said he had instructed his lawyers to write a major newspaper over an allegation levelled against him in their Tuesday, June 23 publication.
“As a result of this senseless accusation, I have pulled out of Edo State settlement. My integrity matters. I have also directed my lawyer to write ThisDay Newspaper on the publication they made against me in their Tuesday, 23rd June 2020 edition,” he said.
He also accused some members of his party’s NWC of conniving with the media house, stressing that he will come out with more fact, if challenged.
The governor noted that he would no longer participate in any reconciliation and wondered why the NWC now wants to consult Governors of the party.
The DEFENDER reports that a High Court of Justice in Edo State Tuesday night, against all odds, had cleared Governor Obaseki as it restrained PDP, INEC and others against excluding and other aspirants for whatever reason from participating in the primary election holding on Thursday June 25, 2020 in the state.
