How Obaseki Made Me Leave PDP – Onolememen

A former Minister of State for Defence, Mike Oziegbe Onolememen, has revealed how the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, made him dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Naija News understands that Onolememen spoke on this ahead of the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

Onolememen disclosed that Obaseki forced him out of PDP when he supported a candidate who did not contest in a senatorial primary of the party against him.

According to Onolememen, he challenged Obaseki’s decision in the Supreme Court, but the apex court ruled in favour of the Governor’s candidate.

In an interview with Vanguard, he said, “I have indeed been a member of the PDP. Up till this year, I was a member of the party, but something happened that I couldn’t relate to.

“Right from the beginning of the year, I set out to run for the senatorial seat in Edo Central. In the primary election, I won.

“I got 90 percent of the votes, and the remaining 10 percent was shared by the remaining five aspirants. But while I thought it was over, Governor Obaseki came in to support somebody who did not even partake in the primary to take the seat.

“Initially, we thought it was a joke. We went to the High Court and from there to the Court of Appeal and from there to the Supreme Court. Curiously, the Supreme Court gave them judgment.

“That was the breaking point. In any case, those in APC today were once in PDP with us in Edo. Many of them are people we have done things together politically.

“When we are together, we don’t discriminate. Because of that, it is the same characters you are dealing with. So you don’t feel as if you are a newcomer.

“We can go to each other’s constituencies and talk to the people. Our people are very smart and they know where their bread is buttered.

“I have made serious consultations in the three senatorial districts and I am satisfied with those consultations. It is the satisfaction I got from that exercise that is pushing me on.”