PDP set to reclaim Edo as APC squabbles deepen

• NWC debunks bribery allegation by C’River faction
Amid the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo South senatorial district, Dickson Imasogie, has declared his party’s readiness to slug it out with the ruling APC in the gubernatorial election coming up in a matter of months.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had scheduled the Edo governorship election to hold on or before October 13, 2020.

Imasogie disclosed that with the congresses of the party at the different levels decisively concluded, the party was on the right path to produce the next governor of the state.

While acknowledging the recent APC crises, he sounded upbeat that the PDP was at the verge of harvesting even a greater number of defectors from APC.

His words, “The PDP remains virile, potent and optimistic ahead of the governorship election. You are aware that our aspirants have been very visible since indicating their genuine interests. With the party congresses done and out of the way now, the party is getting ready for the governorship primaries that would produce the candidate of the party.”

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has debunked allegations of bribery against it by a faction of the party in Cross River State.

A faction of the party loyal to Governor Ben Ayade and the immediate past executive of the party (now caretaker committee) led by Edim Inok Edim had alleged that the NWC was settled to approve the ward and chapter congresses of a faction loyal to National Assembly members.

Cross River South Stakeholders Group led by Chief Ita Ewa Henshaw had, last week, in an attempt to commence the recall of Senator Gershom Bassey from the red chamber, petitioned INEC, alleging, among others, that Bassey was “hobnobbing with the leadership of the party at the national level and members of the NWC to taking over the party’s structure, working in partnership with the national organising secretary.”

But in phone chat with The Guardian, the national organising secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd.) said: “I learnt some groups wrote him a letter accusing him of bribing the NWC. But Gershom Bassey is not even somebody that communicates with us. I have not seen him for about a year now. It’s all propaganda because we are insisting on the right processes.

“We are not supporting anybody; all we are doing is to defend the process and make sure that the integrity of the processes of the party is maintained. We are not against the governors and we are not against the legislatures. We are not against anybody. We are only in support of our clean processes.”