The crisis rocking the PDP in Edo took a new turn as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, elected a new state executive committee headed by Nosa Ogieva.

Mr Ogieva and 13 others, under the aegis of Legacy Group, were sworn in during the group’s 2025 state congress held in Benin City on Sunday.

While 11 officers were returned unopposed, Tony Aziegbemi, Henry Tenebe, and Victor Enoghama reportedly contested the positions of state chairman, secretary, and deputy chairman, respectively.

A total of 576 delegates from the 192 wards across the state participated in the congress.

Speaking shortly after his emergence, Mr Ogieva said his leadership would focus on reuniting the party and restoring its electoral strength 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 urged aggrieved members to put aside differences and work together in the interest of the party, noting that “loyalty and unity remain the bedrock of the PDP.”

In his remarks, Dan Orbih, leader of the Legacy Group and former PDP national vice chairman (South-South), blamed former Governor Godwin Obaseki for the crisis tearing the party apart.

“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,” he said.

Mr Orbih alleged that the party’s poor outing in recent by-elections reflected Mr Obaseki’s unpopularity and the leadership crisis that followed his defection.

“For the first time in our history, elected governors, senators, and House members are leaving the PDP every day, all because of the failure of leadership,” he said.

He described the rival faction loyal to the former governor as “undertakers praying for the PDP to collapse so they can join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).”

Mr Orbih urged delegates to rally behind leaders with capacity and integrity to rebuild the party, stressing that “those who will sell out or deny members their rights should have no place in the new PDP.” 

(NAN)