The duly elected local government councilors in Edo State have reaffirmed their unwavering loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), debunking claims that they have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The councillors, representing the 18 local government areas of the state, converged at the PDP Secretariat in Benin City, on Thursday, to restate their commitment to the party, describing the recent defection claims as a ploy by Senator Monday Okpebholo to deceive the public, the President, and the APC leadership.
They were received at the party secretariat by the Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi; Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Henry Duke Tenebe; its Publicity Secretary, Chris Osa Nehikhare; Princess Mrs. Philomena Ihenyen as Political Adviser (Edo Central) to former Governor Godwin Obaseki; former Commissioner for Roads and Bridges, Ethan Uzamere, among other party leaders.
Others present at the event were duly elected local governmrnt chairmen and their vices, who also debunked the news of their defection, reassuring that their loyalty to the PDP, remained unshaken.
Receiving the councilors numbering at least 172, Aziegbemi noted that those paraded by Okpebholo yesterday as decampee legislatures were not the duly elected councilors but impostors handpicked by Okpebholo to deceive the President and the APC leadership, noting that all duly elected local government councilors on the platform of the PDP in Edo State are fully intact.
He said, “The INEC-select governor, Okpebholo is throwing money into the system, as much as N10 million each to influence the decamping of our councilors and at this meeting today, in spite of the huge amount of money these councilors are being wooed with, we have at least 172 of them here who have come to reaffirm their loyalty to the party.
“We want to unequivocally state that all councilors elected on the platform of the PDP are fully with us and their conscience can’t be bought with money. That is why they are here today.”
He added, “So, we are asking that who were those being paraded yesterday by Okpebholo as the Acting Chairmen who have joined their party if not the impostors he hired to deceive the President and the leadership of his party in order to paint a false picture showing that he is in control, where as he has completely lost grip of the political reins in Edo State.”
He however reassured that with the documentary evidence presented by the Party at the Tribunal, the judiciary will right the wrong of September 21, 2024 and return the mandate of the PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, which was duly given to them by the people of Edo State, charging the councilors and other party faithful to remain united in their resolve and loyalty to the party.
In their remarks, the councilors accused Okpebholo of orchestrating illegal impeachments and superintending the extermination of constitutional democracy in the State, maintaining that the purported suspension and impeachment of duly elected council chairmen and their deputies were unconstitutional, null and void, and a blatant disregard for due process.
Hon Izekor Harrisson, leader of Oredo Legislative Arm, said, “We have decided to follow Asue Ighodalo and the PDP till the very end and nothing will change it. We are united and strong and are confident that we will emerge victorious in the end. Our loyalty to the party remains unshaken.”
Harrison stated that Governor Okpebholo has cut off the salaries and allowances of him and his fellow councilors, in addition to seizing his official car, while offering them as much as ₦10 million each to defect to the APC. He however reassured that they remain committed to their party and will not betray it, no matter the inducement and intimidation.
On his part, the leader of the legislative arm of Esan West Local Council, Idiakheuan Collins, stated that he and other councilors in the LGA have not decamped and remain intact.
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