Edo PDP Crisis Deepens as Wike’s Camp Elects New Executives

Edo PDP Crisis Deepens as Wike’s Camp Elects New Executives
Ogieva promises unity and revival of party strength.
Tensions heighten as Obaseki camp faces renewed challenge.

The internal crisis within the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new turn on Sunday as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, known as the Legacy Group, elected a new set of state executives led by Barrister Nosa Ogieva.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Ogieva emerged alongside 13 other officers during the PDP State Congress held in Benin City, further widening the rift between Wike’s faction and that of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who has struggled to maintain control of the party since 2020.

In his acceptance speech, Ogieva described his emergence as “the beginning of a new era” for Edo PDP, pledging to reunite members and restore the party’s electoral strength. “We will not betray the trust of party members. Unity and loyalty remain the foundation of our great party, and under our watch, PDP in Edo will be rebuilt to win elections again,” he stated.

According to the organisers, 11 out of 14 positions were filled unopposed, while 576 delegates drawn from 192 wards across the state participated in the exercise.

Former South-South National Vice Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, blamed Governor Obaseki for the party’s instability, accusing him of alienating key stakeholders. “Obaseki has fallen out with virtually every stakeholder he met in the PDP,” he said, adding that the party’s poor performance in recent by-elections reflected voters’ dwindling confidence.

Orbih urged members to support credible leaders capable of healing divisions and reviving the party’s fortunes. Meanwhile, the Legacy Group maintained that the new leadership would focus on reconciliation and reward loyal members.