Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A Benin-based human rights activist and founder, One Love Foundation, Patrick Osagie Eholor, has berated the Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for its failure to take advantage of the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, saying the PDP is on a life support machine.
He said the PDP should have taken advantage of the APC crisis to strengthen itself and become a bride in the forthcoming governorship election in the state instead of its members busying themselves endorsing Governor Obaseki for a second term.
Eholor stated this while fielding questions from newsmen on the crises rocking the All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party in the state.
“You can see that on the 19th, a few days past, a town hall meeting was held in Lagos, for example. When you are doing a summit, you attract people and business.
“And if Obaseki was a technocrat that he claimed he is, why will he take our business to Lagos? Has anybody asked that question? If you have a town hall meeting, the hotel will make money, the artisans and the people selling beer will make money because there is something happening in the city.
“If PDP was on the ground and they know what they are doing, it would have been a sweep for the party because you can see that the government of Obaseki has failed us completely.
“PDP should have capitalised on the failure of Obaseki’s administration because all that Obaseki is doing now is to fight godfatherism that brought him to power. He believes in godfatherism, why is he now fighting against it.
“So what I am saying is that PDP as a party, is in a life-support machine in Edo State,” he said.
Eholor, therefore, urged the state chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, to bow out from office without any rancour having served for 12 years.
Reacting to Eholor’s comment, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Enehikhare, said the party cannot join issues with him as he (Eholor) is entitled to his opinion.
