5 months ago
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By Jethro Ibileke
As the 21 September governorship election in Edo State draws closer, the rank of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is getting depleted by the day.
The latest to dump the ruling party in the state, is a frontline member of the party, Sir Clement Aziegbemi, a younger brother of the state chairman of the PDP, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi.
The younger Aziegbemi, was one of the spokesmen for the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
He noted that the massive defection of members from the PDP is largely due to the conquest attitude of the party’s leadership.
Other chieftains who dumped the party in recent times include Chief Abass Momoh Jega, Monday Ihama, Kemi Aimufua and A. Adecbe.
Jega, who was former member of the Edo State House of Assembly and a two-time Commissioner during the government of former Governor Oserhiemen Osunbor, was the PDP leader in Etsako East local government area.
The party chieftains announced their resignation from the party in separate letters addressed to their various ward chairmen, local government chairmen, senatorial leaders and State chairman of the party.
They hinged their resignation from the party on the division and disunity in the PDP.
In his letter dated 30 May, 2024, Jega noted that the crisis had been worsened by the willingness of Ighodalo to walk with new fellows outside those who worked for his emergence as candidate.
He posited that the PDP’s leadership lacked inclusivity of members into appointments in the state that the party loyalists worked for, yet they were abandoned for new entrants.
“The old PDP members, to whom I belong, have suffered a great deal at the hands of the party leadership and those in government.
“Both the governor and the party’s candidate have failed to address these issues, begging for attention.
“If this ugly development continues, it will be extremely difficult for the party to win any local government seats in Edo State’s in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
“Another disturbing issue is the seeming hijack of the PDP governorship candidate by a gang of political jobbers, as against those of us who laboured for him to emerge as candidate of the party.
“Kindly consider this as my resignation from every party responsibility, including my position as one of the spokespersons to the governorship candidate.
“Also, this serves as a formal resignation as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency Godwin Obaseki,” he said.
