The Chief Dan Orbih-led Southsouth Zonal Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissolved the Dr. Tony Aziegbemi-led PDP caretaker committee in Edo State, replacing Aziegbemi with Mr. Nosa Ogieva. 

Chief Sunny Okomayin has been appointed as Vice Chairman, while Hillary Otsu will continue as Secretary. Bob-Manuel Umoru replaces Chris Nehikhare as the new Publicity Secretary.

Additionally, the PDP Southsouth leadership dissolved the state working committee in Bayelsa and appointed new replacements for both states for a three-month period.

The announcements were made by the PDP Southsouth Zonal Publicity Secretary, Prince Etim Isong, following a regular meeting held at the zonal secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Isong said: “The decision to set up caretaker committees for both states follows the dissolution of the State Working Committee of Bayelsa State and the Caretaker Committee in Edo State on account of various acts of gross misconduct by the dissolved executives, which are in clear breach of the party’s constitution, the poor performance and woeful outing by the party in Edo State at the last governorship election, and the poor handling of internal crisis rocking the party in both states.

“The zonal working committee took these decisions in the best interest of the party, after a careful review of the activities of the party in both states, in line with the Constitution of the party, as amended in 2017, particularly Articles 10(1),(f), (g),(k), and (4) as well as Articles 26(2), (a), 27(2)(a&b), 58(1),(a), (c), 0),(), and 59(1)(f).

“The zonal working committee hopes that this bold move will strengthen the party’s foundation and ensure effective leadership in both Bayelsa and Edo States.”

PDP’s National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, Chief Dan Orbih, also called for unity and discipline within the party, while he advised the newly-appointed party leaders to pursue genuine reconciliation among members, so as to foster the cohesion necessary for repositioning the party for future political successes in both states.

Edo PDP caretaker committee publicity secretary, Chris Nehikhare, however, dismissed the claim by Orbih and his “illegal” zonal executive that Edo caretaker committee had been dissolved, while insisting that the Dr. Tony Aziegbemi-led caretaker committee was still in charge of the party’s affairs in Edo.

Nehikhare, who is Edo state’s immediate Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, while addressing reporters in Benin, declared that Orbih, a former Edo chairman of PDP, had no authority to sack any executive, with his statement having no validation, while alleging that the zonal chairman was running the All Progressives Congress (APC) arm of PDP.

Edo PDP caretaker committee publicity secretary said: “Only the national body of our party has the authority and constitutional power to set up caretaker committees.

“It is the National Working Committee/the National Executive Committee that organises congresses from the ward to the state and local government to the zonal and the national convention.”

Nehikhare also stated that PDP’s congress had not been held in the Southsouth zone to unveil the new party executive.

He said: “What we have in the Southsouth zone is a caretaker committee, headed by Emmanuel Ogidi and not Dan Orbih.

“Orbih is now in the APC, following his unsolicited praises for the APC-led government in Edo State.”

Edo PDP caretaker committee publicity secretary also urged the teeming members of the party in the state to remain calm and law-abiding.