Edo: Anenih, Igbinedion, Ogbemudia team up against Oshiomhole •As ACN challenges PDP to public debate

FEUDING Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders, including the former chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih; former governor, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, have resolved their differences and set to work together to ensure the success of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The three elder statemen were among the party elders from the state, who met behind closed doors with President Goodluck Jonathan at House 7, Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Sunday night.

A source close to the meeting revealed on Monday that the three frontline members of the PDP in the state decided to put their differences behind them before the meeting.

It was learnt that they agreed on the necessity to work together, in view of the perceived wrongdoing of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, especially his lack of respect for the elders in the state.

“The man has no decorum, he does not respect anybody. As we speak now, he is not on talking terms with Igbinedion; he abuses Chief Anenih everywhere, Ogbemudia is not anybody to him. Who does he respect? All our political icons, there is none that he respects,” the source said.

President Jonathan, who was relieved to learn that the crisis had been resolved, was said to have proceeded to voice his concern over the growing insecurity in Edo State and stressed the need to tackle the problem.

As a demonstration of their new found unity, the party elders went to the Abuja residence of Chief Anenih at the end of the meeting, where they worked on strategy for the way forward.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has challenged the governorship candidate of the PDP, General Charles Airhiavbere (retd) and national leader of the party, Chief Anenih, to public debate, to discuss development-based issues ahead of the July 14 gubernatorial election in the state.

The Edo ACN said while its candidate, Governor Oshiomhole, was ready to take on Airhiavbere, Chief Anenih should come out and face ACN national leader in the state and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi.

The ACN threw the challenge during the re-election campaign rally of Governor Oshiomhole, on Monday, at Irrua, in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state, where Oshiomhole said he was going to shock the people with more developmental projects if given a second term mandate as governor.

Governor Oshiomhole also told the people that the PDP had been creating what he described as a dynasty of the poor by dismantling the social ladder, just as he said his ACN-led administration had a positive story to tell in the area of developing the state.