Dan Orbih, the South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), threatened to arrest the state’s caretaker committee members for alleged impersonation, adding a new dimension to the conflict roiling the PDP’s Edo State chapter.
During a larger gathering of party leaders from the state’s 18 local government districts in Benin City on Tuesday, Orbih issued the warning.
Orbih, the leader of the “legal group,” a component of the party in the state, claimed that the party constitution was unaware of those posing as members of the state’s Caretaker Committee. They can’t pretend to be committee members, he remarked. He also said that the party’s officials had been ordered to find a suitable state secretariat for the organization.
According to him, if they continue, we will stop them. Let me tell you, when you are not a soldier and you put on the uniform of a soldier and call yourself a soldier, that is impersonation.
“The law is clear, and it must take its course because these people are not members of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee.”
“So we are calling on them to stop parading themselves; if not, they would be arrested.”
“Most of them are unknown to our constitution. We have resolved to keep our constitution as our most potent and strongest guidance in all we do.”
“I want to tell them in their own interest that they should desist from parading themselves as members of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee”, he said.
He noted that the party as of today is in a very sorry state, alleging that the former Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki came and destroyed it.
“As we speak, the party does not have a secretariat. It has become a homeless party in the state.”
“I have just told the party leaders to identify a befitting secretariat for the PDP in the state, and I will pay for it so that the PDP can have a functional party secretariat. So that gradually, we will start rebuilding the party. In the coming weeks, the public will hear from the party in Edo.”
“Party members have been writing a lot of petitions to my office, and we will take steps to address those petitions and put the party in its true state in no distance time”, he added.
He stated that a group of seasoned leaders has been assembled to work every day and elevate the party, while also stating that the party leaders have decided to rebuild and strengthen the party.
According to Orbih, individuals who dismantled the party with the former governor cannot legitimately claim to be Edo PDP Caretaker Committee members. However, Orbih took advantage of the occasion to express gratitude to the party leaders who came to Calabar for the South South zonal congress on February 20, 2025, where he was reelected.
Hillary Otsu, the party’s state secretary, had earlier said that the PDP needed to be reorganized since it was in a state of chaos.
Party chieftain Nosakhare Ogieva Okunbor took advantage of the occasion to congratulate Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the national secretary of the PDP, on his Supreme Court triumph.
Chris Nehikhare, the state Publicity Secretary caretaker committee, had not yet replied to a message addressed to him at the time this report was filled out.
