The ancient city of Benin was swept with a gale of defections yesterday as a governorship aspirant of the Labour Party and prominent member of the ‘Obidient Movement’, Hon. Lucky Obiyan, called a press conference at Olive Place, Akenzua Road, to announce that he and his followers would not be supporting the candidacy of the Labour Party candidate Barr. Olumide Akpata in the 2024 Edo Governorship Elections.
Hon. Obiyan based his decision on the just-concluded “shady primaries” conducted by the Labour Party leadership in Edo State.
He said he called the press conference because he believed it was important to let the public know that the Obidient Movement does not belong to any political party.
His words: “The Labour Party in Edo State has so far demonstrated every contradictory arrangement to what Obidients believe in, and that is why we have to urgently inform the people that they shouldn’t be misled.
“We have come to tell the Edo people and the Edos in diaspora that the Obidient Movement washes its hands like Pontius Pilate in the Bible clean from Edo Labour Party and its candidate Olumide Akpata!”.
Earlier that same day, another group called the Edo Obidient Movement met to issue a statement pledging loyalty to Peter Obi; but also condemned the failure of the Labour Party to position itself as a credible alternative to the PDP and the APC at their Edo Primaries.
Addressing journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Benin City, the group’s spokesman, Mr. Ikhuenbor Figo, said that the Edo Obidient Movement was passing a vote of no confidence in the Edo LP governorship primaries process, the Labour Party leadership, and the party’s governorship candidate, Barr. Olumide Akpata.
He said: “Labour Party conducted the worst primary election in Edo State. We witnessed a situation where some compromised party executives at the national, state, LGA and wards the openly and shamelessly traded the Party’s governorship ticket to the highest bidder”.
Figo further alleged that the primaries were ’dollarized’ by a certain aspirant, who he claims compromised party executives with a rain of dollars to alter the delegates list and secure the party ticket.
HHe stated that his group totally rejected the process and the outcome, as the corruption of the exercise “by evil elements” went against everything Peter Obi and they, as Obidients, were known to stand for.
Barr. Olumide emerged as the Labour Party governorship candidate.
Figo pleaded with Peter Obi to intervene and rescue the Party ahead of the 2027 general elections; as he announced that the Edo Obidient Movement would be distancing themselves from the Edo Labour Party, the Party’s governorship candidate, and any activities sponsored by “moneybag politicians” in the name of the Obidient Movement.
Similarly, 64 Obidient members and leaders of the Labour Party in Ward 3 Egor LGA defected from the Labour Party to align with Barr. Asue Ighodalo, the PDP’s governorship candidate.
Led by Evans Lordwin Okunzuwa, the 64 decampees stated their decision was borne out of the need to ensure that the next governor of Edo State would guarantee good governance.
“For this election we did not think about religion or other sentiments; all Obidients must tell ourselves the truth. If we look at the three candidates it is clear Dr. Asue Ighodalo is the best. That is why we have decided to join him because we know he is for the people”, Okunzuwa said.
Presenting the new PDP members with party cards, the Edo State Commissioner for Digital Economy, Science and Technology and renowned Obident, Mr. Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor, stated that the defections would boost the PDP’s strength and chances in the upcoming elections.
“We have the capacity to deliver. And we have the capacity to deliver because we have confidence in Asue Ighodalo,” he said.
Ifaluyi-Isibor was the convener of the PDP for Obi movement during the 2023 General Elections.
