PDP declares ceasefire, warns Obaseki, deputy

The Peoples Democratic Party has called on Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu to sheathe their swords and give peace a chance.

The party expressed surprise that official letters of the state government, which should be confidential, were now dominating the social media space.

The PDP National Vice Chairman (South) and former chairman of the party in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih, made the intervention in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday night titled, ‘Do not de-market PDP in Edo State.’

He was reacting to the face-off between Obaseki and Shuaibu which appeared to have defied settlement.

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The PUNCH reports that Shaibu had gone to a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop his planned impeachment by Obaseki, although he latter withdrew the case following intervention of stakeholders.

The case came up again when the governor relocated the office of his Deputy.

Shaibu was also barred from entering his office in the Government House on Monday.

An official letter of his relocation surfaced on the social media. The letter, dated September 15, 2023, was received by a Permanent Secretary in the office of the deputy governor, and acknowledged on Monday, September 18, 2023.

Orbih advised that Obaseki and his Deputy should bury the hatchet and allow peace to reign for the sake of the governorship scheduled for next year.

He said, “I have observed with trepidation, the frosty relations between the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu and I am constrained to call on both parties to exercise restraint in what to say or do in the course of this ongoing needless and endless crisis.

“To my surprise, official letters, which should be confidential, are now dominating the social media space. I urge both parties to stop further hostilities and resolve their differences quietly in the interest of good governance and progress of the state. Anything less may affect the image and fortunes of the Party in the coming Guber election.

“Yes, we have had issues in the past between party and government, but we haven’t allowed them to be subject to newspaper editorials.

“The PDP is a strong brand in Edo State – a brand that has been nurtured over the years by the commitment of leaders and dedicated members of the party. This brand is now under serious threat by the current raging battle between the Governor and Deputy-Governor.

“I therefore seize this opportunity to call on both parties to ‘cease fire’ and resolve their differences amicably. God bless PDP. God bless Edo State.”