FROM TONY OSAUZO, BENIN

THE Edo State chapters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) may be heading for a face-off, as the PDP yesterday alleged that the APC government in the state has ordered stop­page of the use of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for the flagging off of its governor­ship campaign scheduled for Monday.

Briefing journalists in Be­nin yesterday, the state chair­man of PDP, Dan Orbih, said after receiving approval from the state Ministry of Sports for the usage of the sta­dium for the flag off, the party later received information that the approval had been cancelled.

He said as a result of the development, the party has found a new venue at the Baptist Convention ground in Benin, stressing that “hundred Oshiomholes cannot stop them on Monday.”

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Commenting on the leader­ship crisis in the PDP, Orbih said with the various judge­ments delivered on the matter so far, it was clear that Senator Ahmed Makarfi was the con­stitutionally recognised care­taker chairman of the party.

Accusing Governor Adams Oshiomhole of sponsoring factional PDP governorship primary election in Edo State, the PDP chairman described the primary as, “a gathering of APC members, who voted for a suspended PDP member.”

Meanwhile, the state PDP factional governorship can­didate, Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, regretted the action of the Edo State government, saying that opinion poll has shown that the PDP will win the September 10, governor­ship election resoundingly.

In a swift response to Or­bih’s claim, Edo State Com­missioner for Sports, Priestley Ediagbonya, refuted PDP’s claim that the state govern­ment denied the party use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Sta­dium.