Tensions within the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Thursday as the party’s Caretaker Committee, led by Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, firmly rejected a recent donation of a party secretariat by Chief Dan Orbih, describing the gesture as a politically motivated ploy to destabilise the party ahead of crucial elections.
The drama unfolded after Orbih, a former South-South Zonal Chairman of the PDP, announced the donation of a new secretariat in Benin City on Wednesday. During the unveiling, Orbih warned the Aziegbemi-led committee to cease parading themselves as the legitimate leaders of the PDP in Edo State.
He accused them of colluding with former Governor Godwin Obaseki to undermine and destroy the party from within.
In a swift rebuttal, Aziegbemi released a strongly-worded statement dismissing Orbih’s claims and asserting that Orbih was no longer a member of the PDP. According to the committee, Orbih’s tenure officially ended on March 9, 2025, with the emergence of Chief Emma Ogidi as the new zonal leader.
“We are compelled to respond to the Nollywood-style theatrics orchestrated by Chief Dan Orbih only because of the numerous calls and inquiries we have received,” the statement read. “Let it be made abundantly clear that Chief Dan Orbih is no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. He lacks the authority and standing to rent, donate, or assign any property to the Edo PDP.”
The committee went further to allege that the secretariat Orbih claimed to donate was not only unauthorised but linked to the opposition. “The so-called secretariat he claimed to have donated is a façade. It belongs to the party he now openly serves—the APC-led government in Edo State—where he is nothing more than a political employee,” Aziegbemi alleged.
While Orbih has not publicly responded to the caretaker committee’s rejection of his donation, his supporters maintain that his actions stem from a desire to restore integrity and stability to the party amid growing internal rifts.
Party insiders say the latest confrontation signals deeper fractures within the Edo PDP, which has seen recurring tensions between factions loyal to Orbih and those aligned with Governor Obaseki, particularly in the aftermath of the governor’s defection from the APC to the PDP in 2020.
Despite the unfolding conflict, Aziegbemi urged party faithful to remain calm and focused.
“We urge PDP members to disregard the antics of Dan Orbih and not be distracted. Reclaiming our mandate remains our focus,” he said. “The Edo PDP Caretaker Committee remains united, focused, and fully in charge of the party’s affairs.”
Source: Ripples Nigeria
