Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has criticised his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, over comments on his deputy, Philip Shaibu, concerning the crisis rocking the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Shaibu, in a viral video on social media last week, lamented that officials of the PDP were yet to accept those who defected with Obaseki to the party just before the 19 September 2020 governorship election in the State.
But Wike took a swipe at Shaibu for allegedly speaking against the PDP, adding that he had written a letter to the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, demanding disciplinary action against the Edo State deputy governor.
However, in a statement on Monday, Obaseki said Wike’s comment on Shaibu was unfortunate and uncalled for.
He said, “If Governor Wike was one who is wont to show respect and courtesy to his colleague-governors, he would have ordinarily reached out to me to express his concerns about the views made by my deputy governor, rather than embarking on this unwarranted public onslaught.
“My deputy governor was a former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and his comment is representative of the essence of the nation’s youth population, who are inclined to openly speak up and question the status quo.
“His Excellency, Governor Wike should have taken a cue from how the National Chairman of our party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, responded to my deputy’s remarks, as a conscientious leader who can show empathy and consideration.
“The concerns expressed by my deputy governor bordered on pertinent issues affecting the PDP in Edo State which since the September 19th, 2020 elections, has been able to register over 500,000 members; and till date, these new members have not been properly integrated into our party after two years.
“Also, the leaders, executives, and members who came with me into the party have still not been accepted, integrated, or harmonized into the party.
“More worrisome is the fact that old members of Edo PDP, who are open to inclusion and supportive of building a large party are being vilified and ostracised by a cabal purportedly led by
Chief Dan Orbih, who is your perpetual guest in Port Harcourt and is remotely used to orchestrate the destabilisation of the party in Edo State.
“It is necessary to recall at this point that a political solution gave rise to the emergence of Chief Dan Orbih first as acting and then as substantive National Vice Chairman, South-South, of our party, when Chief Emma Odidi resigned that position to allow Orbih to ascend.
“It is, therefore, curious why this type of political solution is no longer tenable to resolve the political impasse in Edo State PDP.”
