The former federal lawmaker who represented Ovia Federal Constituency, Omosede Igbinedion, has resigned her membership from the Peoples Democratic Party or PDP, ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
She’s the daughter of Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom.
The ex-lawmaker submitted her letter of resignation from the party, dated August 11, 2024, and addressed to Mr. Lucky Edosomwan, the PDP Chairman in Okada West Ward 1, in Ovia North East Local Government Area , citing lack of equity.
Omosede fell out with the PDP following the conduct of the ward and local government delegates elections for the primary.
The former lawmaker, who represented the party in the National Assembly between 2015 and 2019 said the PDP lacked fairness and justice, accusing it of marginalising long-standing party members hence her resignation.
“I wish to formally use this medium to tender my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” she said in the letter.
She thanked the party “for the time spent as a member of the PDP.
“It was a pleasure to have been elected to the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019 on the platform of the PDP, to represent the good people of Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West Federal Constituencies.
“Based on the principles of equity, fairness, and justice, which I hold dearly and which no longer prevail within our party in the state, coupled with the marginalisation of the aboriginal PDP members who have worked assiduously to sustain this party before its infiltration, despite complaints to both the state and national levels, I no longer have the drive, conviction, sentiment, and commitment towards a party that I once called my own.
“There is no indigenous PDP member on the Edo gubernatorial ballot today, either as the gubernatorial candidate or deputy governorship running mate, which raises the question: ‘Who exactly are we working for?’
“My overriding interest and commitment to the people of Ovia, whom I hold so dearly and who have always stood by me, supersedes my personal interest as well as any other interest.
“It is on this note that I have decided to tender my resignation from the PDP, effective from today, August 11, 2024,” she said.
She has not announced the party she will be joining but there are rumours she will be going to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and may be received at the flag-off of the Edo South Senatorial governorship campaign rally scheduled for Tuesday (today) at the Ekehuan campus of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) by APC leadership.