The lingering crisis within the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intensified on Sunday as a faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, elected a parallel state executive committee.
The group, operating under the banner of the Legacy Group, held a separate state congress in Benin City where Nosa Ogieva emerged as the new State Chairman. Thirteen other members were also elected and sworn in to lead what they described as a rebirth of the party in the state.
Of the 14 positions filled, 11 officers were returned unopposed. Notably, Tony Aziegbemi, Henry Tenebe, and Victor Enoghama reportedly vied for the key roles of State Chairman, Secretary, and Deputy Chairman, respectively. The congress was said to have been attended by 576 delegates representing the 192 wards across Edo State.
In his acceptance speech, Ogieva pledged to reunite the party and restore its fading political dominance in the state.
“Our emergence marks a new chapter in Edo PDP. We will not betray this party nor take it for granted. We are here to reposition and rebrand the PDP so it can begin to win elections again,” he said.
He also called on aggrieved party members to close ranks and prioritise the unity and success of the party.
Chief Dan Orbih, former PDP National Vice Chairman (South-South) and leader of the Legacy Group, squarely blamed former Governor Godwin Obaseki for the internal divisions.
“We had a united PDP where everyone related as brothers and sisters until Obaseki joined our party. He came in and destroyed everything that was good in the PDP. He sowed the seeds of deep discord and left our umbrella torn and shattered,” Orbih said.
He pointed to the party’s declining electoral fortunes and defections as signs of Obaseki’s damaging impact on the PDP.
“For the first time in our history, elected governors, senators, and House members are leaving the PDP every day, all because of failure of leadership,” he added.
Orbih went further to accuse the Obaseki-led faction of deliberately weakening the party ahead of a defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing them as “undertakers praying for the PDP to collapse.”
He urged delegates and party loyalists to rally behind leaders with competence and integrity, asserting that the new executive would stand against internal betrayal and injustice.
The emergence of a parallel executive underscores the deepening factionalism within the Edo PDP, raising fresh concerns about the party’s unity ahead of upcoming elections. The official PDP leadership in the state is yet to respond to the development.
