The political climate ahead of the September 19 Edo Governorship Election was on Wednesday, heated up as Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike announced his decision to pull out of the reconciliation meetings aimed at resolving the crisis in the Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Following the disqualification of incumbent Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki from contesting for a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as well as his swift screening for its primaries, raised an upheaval in the opposition party, with some party members raising eyebrows. 

The entrance of the Governor into the party was obviously not met with open arms by other Governorship aspirants in the PDP, on the grounds that ‘due process’ was breached by the party executives to favour the Governor’s participation in the race. This appeared to be the issue the Rivers Governor was trying to mediate when news of a lawsuit initiated by one of the leading aspirants, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, asking the court to bar Obaseki from participating in the PDP primaries surfaced on social media.

Some members of the PDP relying on the fact that it was brought before a Federal High Court in Rivers, alleged that the Rivers Governor may have had a hand in it, leading Governor Wike to express annoyance at the situation, stressing that it was an indictment on his integrity. In his outburst, he accused some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) of trying to manipulate him using the media, and labelled them as dishonest sycophants and tax collectors. 

GOVERNOR WIKE PULLS OUT OF EDO PDP RECONCILIATION https://t.co/BJOZVztgri pic.twitter.com/2p7bpbrlR4

— Gov N E Wike Information. (@GovWike) June 24, 2020

 

Nigerians reacted to the news, with a number of Twitter users expressing worry about the development and the chances of the PDP in the Edo election, given the disagreements it has become embroiled in the last few days. Some lauded Governor Wike as a strong force and master strategist in light of the developments, while those who were not happy with his decision described the Governor as problematic. 

After Wike's tenure, Nigeria will become a one-party state.

He is the only one giving APC problem.

— the Morris Monye factor (@Morris_Monye) June 16, 2020

Wike mischievously and deliberetly announced his pullout from the reconciliation committee just to give them fake hope that we're at the same level with them.

Wike is wiked!

— PDP Vanguard (@PDPVanguard) June 24, 2020

Wike will be the downfall of Wike.#NoteThisTweet

— Adetutu Balogun, MBA (@Tutsy22) June 24, 2020

Some others speculated what for them was a hidden political factor that made Governor Wike pull out of the reconciliation mission.

Apparently the real reason for Wike's outburst today is that one of Wike's demands was that Obaseki to use Dan Orbih (Former Edo PDP chairman) as his deputy in place of Philip. Obaseki refused based on seperate arrangement he has with Atiku, Saraki and the NWC that Philip stays

— Daddy D.O?? (@DOlusegun) June 23, 2020

 

Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama who is also a sitting House of Representatives member prayed the court to disqualify Governor Obaseki from the PDP primary election scheduled to hold on Thursday based on his “faulty” credentials. The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt thus ordered the adjournment of the court case, alongside issuing an order that the parties in the suit be served through substituted means in two national dailies.

However, things appeared to have come to calm on Wednesday, when aggrieved parties agreed to settle the matter out of court which excited many supporters of the Governor on social media and drew diverse reactions from Nigerians.

Breaking: Edo PDP Resolves Crisis, Ogbeide-Ihama Agreed Out Of Court Settlement and pledges To Discontinue Case Against Obaseki.
Also vowed to work for d election of Obaseki as the party's Flag bearer.

This was the communique issued from d meeting hosted by Wike in PH yesterday

— DEMAGOGUE PhD.?senior advocat? (@von_Bismack) June 24, 2020

 

Many praised the PDP for their efforts in resolving the crisis in the party swiftly, and counselled the APC to learn a thing or two from the current events in their rival party. 

If the APC are serious, they'll go to PDP and ask to be admitted to do internship on how to manage internal Party disagreements. Not every little thing, you scatter everything and everywhere, pulling Nigeria down along their infantile squabbling

Edo PDP candidacy impasse: fixed

— ?? (@solomonapenja) June 24, 2020

Edo PDP:
All actors in Edo State PDP Gov'ship Primary Election brouhaha have agreed to an out of court settlement…

Ogbeide-Ihama, Wike etc, have pledged to work & surport the re-election of Obaseki, as the PDP's Flag bearer.

Nigerians, what's the difference between APC & PDP?

— Mazi @FestusGreen ?? (@FestusGreen) June 24, 2020

Those APC guys that were celebrating Wike yesterday, are now quiet about the court judgement coming out of Port Harcourt. ? ? ?

Edo is not Lagos, Obaseki will show Oshiomhole pepper..

Hope those APC guys can now see that, PDP is a functional political party, unlike APC.?? pic.twitter.com/QbADEhu9zF

— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )???? (@emmaikumeh) June 24, 2020

 

With the PDP Edo Gubernatorial Primary election now scheduled to hold on Thursday with little or no troubles among the aspirants, Nigerians are held on the edge in expectation of what the election results would be.