Edo PDP Governorship Aspirant Chief Edebiri Dumps PDP

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has taken a new twist as one of the core aspirants, Chief Solomon Edebiri, who felt cheated in the last governorship primaries has resigned his membership from the party.

In a letter dated 15 July, signed by Chief Edebiri, which was made available to newsmen in Benin City, Edebiri expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to his political career.

He said, “After careful review of my political affiliation with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Edo State Chapter and having consulted with family and friends on recent political activities in Edo State, I hereby resign my membership of the People’s Democratic Party with effect from the date on this letter. I am grateful to all those in PDP who contributed in one way or the other to my political career development”.

Meanwhile, the State chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, it was gathered in Benin City, has rejected the resignation, saying all doors are not yet shut at reconciliation. But when contacted, he refused to comment on the development.

It would be recalled that after the primaries, Chief Edebiri was approached by several members who were attempting to break away from PDP and the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) to sponsor one of the registered political parties in order to contend with the main parties which they believe have lost credibility.

However, information obtained disclosed that Edebiri refused to go through with it as he was quoted to have said “I don’t want anything to dent my public image.”

A source who didn’t want to be named but privy to the arrangement said, “The alternative platform plans did not materialise majorly because Chief Edebiri ran on a ‘credibility and integrity’ platform. The committee he set up feels and Chief Edebiri bought the idea that going into such an arrangement will be against the image he has built for himself.”

The source also said that the senator representing Edo south, Senator Matthew Urhogide and the PDP flag bearer, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu have quickly reached out to Edebiri in order to stop him if possible.

Since the governorship primaries, PDP has divided against itself as members accused the party leadership of manipulating the result by making the delegates to take oaths to vote for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.