Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has reportedly met with the State Working Committee (SWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he appealed to them to calm down on their reaction to a recent meeting he held with three prominent members of the party.
The State Chairman and Secretary of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi and Hillary Otsu, respectively, had in a letter to the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, accused Obaseki of holding meeting on 8 May, with the trio of Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Chief Tom Ikimi and Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, where it was resolved that the leadership of the party from the ward to the state level be dissolved to accommodate Governor Godwin Obaseki’s loyalists who came with him from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Angered by the meeting, the SWC in a strongly worded letter to the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, alleged that Obaseki was being misled by three categories of people in the party.
They insisted that if Obaseki wanted the party to be reformed, it should start in his office, by replacing his deputy and the secretary to the state government and replace them with old PDP members.
Apparently worried by the negative reactions that greeted the meeting, it was gathered the governor beat a retreat, as he held another meeting with the leadership of the party on Wednesday, where he expressed his unhappiness over the position of the SWC, describing it as “too hard” on him.
A source privy to the meeting who did not want to be named, said the governor appealed to them that he was not taking them for granted, contrary to insinuation, but rather, he remained grateful to the PDP for giving the platform for his re-election after falling out with his former party, the APC.
The governor was said to have told the SWC members that he has been receiving calls from his colleague governors across the country and business associates who expressed their concern that he was falling out with the party that brought him back to power so soon.
“The meeting was cordial, it was called by the governor where he appealed for calm. He told us that he has been receiving calls all over the country over the development.
“The meeting ended well and he wants us to bring our suggestions on the way forward which is expected to be forwarded to him on Friday,” the source added.

By Jethro Ibileke