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| Osagie Ize-Iyamu |
The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has boasted that it would win 2020’s governorship election in the state even though some of its members recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
It said if it could win elections in some APC states in the last general elections it would win elections in Edo.
State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said it was unfortunate that the defectors that left with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu were given good positions and allowed to contest elections when they joined the party in 2014.
Chief Orbih who spoke while addressing PDP leaders at an enlarged meeting said many PDP states have pledged to stand by the Edo PDP and ensured it return to power in the state.
Orbih, however, called for a review of the PDP constitution especially as regards issue of waiver for new members to contest election.
He stated that allowing new members to contest elections and hold elective position do not show reward for party loyalty.
According to him, “It is unfortunate that when people want to leave the party, they don’t say anything good about the party again. If we have any apologies, we must apologise for the way and manner the party has accepted in the past those who destroy the party, who will come back to the party and who we will accept and give all opportunities to excel. It is unfortunate they criticise all things in the party. If the party was as bad as they want to make it look, they would not have come back to the party.
“When I work I work for the good of the party. The next EXCO will learn from our own experience. The party for some reasons removed certain clauses from our constitution. I will fight for the issue of waiver to be revisited. It is about the party. Let the past experince guide the next executive.
“The exit of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu provides an ample opportunity for members of party to have sober reflection on whether the party should not revisit the issue of waiver for newcomers who are interested in contesting elective positions in the party.
“This idea of giving priority to them and allowing them take positions preeminent over those who have been in the party is an issue we need to have to look at so that we don’t have to run a party where people will feel, see the party from the perspective of using it as a platform for contesting election and once they are unable to in their election, they will look elsewhere to shop for another platform to contest for election.
“But if we revisit this issue of waiver it means for very person who is interested in contesting under the platform of our party you must stay for a minimum period of time before you will be considered qualified to contest. I think that again will take care of party loyalty; people should not just leave the party and come back to the party and you give them elective ticket. We should start looking at it’, he reasoned.
“Before Ize-Iyamu joined the PDP, the party was strong and united. His exit has not affected us as party,” he added.
