Amidst internal crisis and factionalism, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State yesterday said unity is the best way to win elections in the state and defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
They also said they must close ranks ahead of the August 16 by-elections in the state if they want to impact.
The meeting had prominent members of the party in attendance, including the party’s candidate in the 2024 governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, who said he believed PDP could win not less than 70 per cent of voters cast in any election, as he said is a PDP state.
He said, “If an election is conducted today, PDP would win 70 per cent of the votes
“The leaders will meet and return to the people. Nobody would dictate to anybody. We would collectively decide where to go”, he said and thereafter announced a donation of two million naira to each of the 18 local government areas chapter of the party in the state.
He thanked the party faithful for standing firm and urged them to be courageous, saying that the PDP would decide what is in the best interest of Edo State.
Addressing members of the party from the three senatorial districts, Tony Aziegbemi, Caretaker Committee Chairman of his faction of the part,y insisted that despite the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement on the state governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) stole the mandate Edo people gave to the party’s candidate
He said the PDP did all it could through its lawyers in the legal battle but lost because of alleged collusion by government officials and the judiciary.
He pleaded with the people of the state for their understanding over the party’s failure to retrieve the mandate, just as he commended party members for standing firm despite the setback.
“The next thing is, how do we get Tinubu out in 2027”, Aziegbemi asked. .
Jimoh Ijegbai, ex-deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki said “If you are saying we should remove Tinubu from office, which vehicle are we going to use? If we are going to continue, we must know where we belong in the PDP that is divided. Unless we do that, we will be deceiving ourselves”, said
Speaking on behalf women, Alberta Okonofua urged the PDP to put its acts together adding “If we don’t put our house properly I don’t know how we are going to oust him (Tinubu)”.
Also speaking, former Campaign Director General, Asue Ighodalo Campaign Organization, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, said the party must sit down to fashion out how it will remove the President in 2027.
