By Mudiaga Affe
The name, Dan Orsi Orbih, is synonymous with the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State after serving as the state chairman of the party for nine years (2011 to 2020).
On the completion of his service as chairman, Orbih was given the task of piloting the affairs of the PDP in South-South in an acting capacity, until he emerged unopposed as the elected National Vice-Chairman during the South-South Executive Committee meeting which took place at Obi Wali Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on March 9, 2021.
Before emerging National Vice Chairman of the PDP, one of Orbih’s most successful fights in his political career was the emergence of Godwin Obaseki and Philip Shaibu as governor and deputy governor in the Edo State governorship election of September 19, 2020.
In what was regarded as a fight to stamp out godfatherism by the PDP, Orbih joined the campaign trail of the duo of Obaseki and Shaibu to campaign round the 193 wards in the 18 local government areas of Edo State to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 12 other parties that participated in the exercise.
Defeating the candidate of the APC, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who had the strong backing of a former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and many top political strategists in the APC, was not an easy task for Orbih and his PDP team. His ascension to the position of National Vice Chairman is, therefore, seen as a boost for the PDP in the South-South region because he joined forces with others to ensure that Edo, which was the only APC state in the region before the September 19 governorship election, to reclaim Edo. Thereby making the entire South-South region an all-PDP-affairs.
Born on October 27, 1961, from Ogbona in Etsako Central LGA, Orbih has a rich dossier as chronicled below:
Orbih has served as Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Group Board as well as member, Governing Council, University of Port Harcourt. He has also at various times served on committees at both the state and national levels of the PDP.
In 1999, he was the deputy governorship candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) in Edo State.
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As a state chairman of PDP, Orbih led the famous protest by Edo State citizens to Lagos against the decision of the Edo State Government to sell the Edo House and later instituted a legal action to stop its sale. To his credit, the Edo House remains the property of the people of Edo State. He has also demonstrated that oppositional politics should not necessarily mean divisive politics. With his sharp, witty, and constructive criticism of the government, both as a state Chairman and more recently as acting National Vice Chairman, Orbih redefined opposition politics in a way that should positively benefit all democracy stakeholders across the country.
Even though he was “irritating” to those in government, he positively positioned the PDP in Edo State not just to keep the state administration on its toes but to make it the beautiful bride in Edo politics. When a widow and a street-seller in Benin was humiliatingly asked by then Gov.Oshiomhole to “go and die”, it was Orbih that beamed the searchlight and brought global attention to her plight. Cutting through Orbih’s politics, therefore, have been the elements of compassion, empathy, and defence of the oppressed.
In the heat of the first wave of the herdsmen menace in Edo State, Chief Orbih Sponsored a bill to prohibit open grazing in Edo State, a bill he presented to the Edo State House of Assembly. Given the apprehension of many people in Edo State on the activities of the herdsmen, it was no surprise that the proposal was largely welcomed by citizens of the state irrespective of political party affiliation. e attended the Catholic Central School, Afashio for his primary education, and Our Lady of Fatima College Auchi. For the General Certificate of Education, Advanced Level, he attended the Advanced College, Igueben before entering the University of Benin in 1981, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1984.
After his National Youth Service Corp, he served as Executive Director, Hill Top Hotel Ltd., Auchi. Convinced that the future belonged to young men who dare to step out into the world to fashion out a living for themselves rather than bask in the more secure warmth of family achievement and legacy.
He is the Chairman of several business concerns including but not limited to real estate investments, importation, and supply of cement and chemicals to Oil and Construction companies in Nigeria. Chief Orbih bagged a Certification in International Petroleum Management, Eni, and Rome, Italy in 2006 and also a Certification in Corporate Leadership, Harvard Business School, and Boston, Massachusetts in 2007.
He is married to Mrs. Florence Orbih, nee Okiyo, from Isoko in Delta State. They are blessed with two children Winifred and Mildred Orbih.
In recognition of his worthy contribution to humanity, he was bestowed with the prestigious titles: The Kulukulu 1 of Ogoni Land; The Oduma of Uzairue; The Agbokhaivho the 2nd of Avianwu clan; Enakhaimhoi of Anegbete; Esama of Uromi, Eze Oha 1 of Mburubu among others.
