The embattled Edo State factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has downplayed recent defections from the party, describing them as the result of external pressure rather than internal disunity.
Speaking at a high-profile PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City, Aziegbemi pushed back against narratives of a crumbling opposition, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the defections through state-sponsored coercion.
“This is not about disaffection within our ranks,” he said. “It is about the APC using government might to intimidate our people. Threats, blackmail, and the abuse of state power are their tools. But this strategy will not hold.”
The gathering, which drew party heavyweights including former governorship candidate Mr. Asue Ighodalo, his running mate Osarodion Ogie, had the immediate past governor Mr Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Me Omobayo Godwins conspicuously absent.
Chief Tom Ikimi, ex-Governor Lucky Igbinedion, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, Senator Odion Ugbesia, and Rep. Marcus Onobun, were however present at the platform which was clearly designed to reassure party loyalists and reclaim the PDP’s image of solidarity.
“We are not fragments or leftovers,” Aziegbemi declared. “We are the PDP. We built it, and we remain its backbone in Edo State.”
He likened the current crisis to a leaking roof, saying, “You don’t abandon your home when the roof leaks. You stay, fix it, and weather the storm together. That’s when loyalty is tested.”
In a solidarity with the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Aziegbemi praised Ighodalo’s leadership, calling him a beacon of hope for the party’s future. “He represents integrity, capacity, and the vision needed to uplift Edo people. We stand firmly with him.”
While acknowledging internal challenges, Aziegbemi remained confident about the PDP’s path forward. “Our concern now is justice and the recovery of our stolen mandate. That fight is not over.”
